The Kyar Twins - Inventum Adventures
by Stormwar9
Summary: Inventum is a beautiful region spanning from sandy beaches to mountains and beyond. Its Pokemon League is perhaps the most challenging the world has to offer; if twelve badges weren't enough, it takes two years for trainers to traverse the entire region. Jason and Kristine Kyar represent the next generation of trainers. Will they endure their own trials and rise to the challenge?
1. Aspirations

**Hello everyone! My name is Stormwar9 and this is my first fanfic published on here. I kept this little gem to myself for a while. I had a lot of ideas and some chapters written out and all that was needed was consolidation and editing. Keeping this story away from the public for a very long time, I decided one day to not only share it, but also to consolidate, edit, and keep on writing. It's been something that I have enjoyed, and my grand goal is to finish this fanfic.**

 **So here's where some explaining will be required. Inventum Adventures will have the anime style with a sense of realism to it. There are some elements of the games involved as well. While it focuses on a fan-made region, Inventum, and the main characters which are OCs, it's somewhat settled in the anime world, where Ash and company exists. This will also take place years after Ash's adventures. There are references to Ash and other characters, in addition to characters and entities from Pokemon Go (ie: Team Mystic and Spark).**

 **As all regions in the pokemon world are influenced by real life regions/countries, Inventum has its influence as well. It is largely based off of the southeast United States, with a bit of the midwest thrown in there. The main OCs are Jason and Kristine Kyar, a pair of twelve year old twins who will embark on their journeys and quickly learn what it takes to be the best of the best, all while learning about the history of Inventum and how certain events should not be repeated.**

 **Before I leave you to read on, here are some ground rules of this fanfic, just to give a clear idea as to what to expect:**

 **\- No mega evolutions or z-powers. For the most part, this is about straight up raw power. Bonding is in, however, and the degree of it is still to be determined (I'm measuring this based off a scale of 1 to Ash-Greninja).**

 **\- Possession of legendary pokemon is illegal under normal circumstances. Will that stop certain people? Probably not. But there are no plans to give our heroes legendary pokemon. There will also not be a mysterious trainer with a darkrai coming out of nowhere and winning the whole thing.**

 **\- Real world geography is implemented. That means the regions from the first four gens pretty much make up Japan, Unova is where New York is, Kalos is where France is, and Alola is Hawaii. Of course, Inventum will be where the southeast US is. And Galar is the UK! This was started well before Gen 8 was announced, but Galar will be incorporated appropriately.**

 **\- Rated T mainly to be safe. There is some realism, sub plot romance, and life and death situations involved, but as of yet no swearing, blood, or incredibly violent scenes.**

 **And here's the disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, just my OCs.**

 **Feel free to leave a review or PM regarding any chapter, moment, or character in the story. I'll do my best to respond to every review in a timely manner. Suggestions are always welcome. Happy reading!**

* * *

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" commanded the voice of the world renowned Ash Ketchum. With tens of thousands of screaming fans surrounding him, Pikachu, and the opposing trainer and Scyther, Pikachu charged towards Scyther before flipping into the air, his tail glowing.

Scyther, who had taken previous damage from a thunderbolt, was unable to dodge Pikachu's onslaught. The Iron Tail made direct impact, sending Scyther flying back against a tall rock. Scyther fell forward on his stomach, unable to get up.

"Scyther is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Horace Robbins is out of pokemon! Ash Ketchum wins!"

The entire battle was televised worldwide. Ash Ketchum won the round of 16 of the Kanto Regionals, one of many prestigious events over in the far east. Ash was in the middle of a resurgence after spending years traveling the world, winning the hearts of many young aspiring trainers worldwide. And on the other side of the world, in the far west, a pair of twelve-year-old twins were glued to the television one weekend morning.

"Yeah!" Jason Kyar threw a closed fist straight in the air. "Go Ash!"

"His pikachu is so awesome!" Kristine Kyar clenched both of her fists. "I want a pikachu!"

Both kids had dark brown hair. Jason had clear blue eyes, while Kristine had emerald green eyes. She normally kept her hair in a ponytail, but left it in a mess for this occasion; it was early in the morning, after all. Jason normally kept his hair messy, and didn't require much maintenance from the bedhead he had. They were in their pajamas, and were sitting directly in front of the flat screen television in their living room. Jason wore a white undershirt and blue bottoms, while Kristine wore a green tank top and green bottoms.

"I want one too!" Jason said. "So I can evolve it into a raichu!"

"But Pikachu is quicker!" Kristine argued.

"Raichu is stronger!" Jason defended. "The gym leader of Richland Port has one!"

Kristine smirked. "There's a reason why Ash never evolved Pikachu into a raichu. Speed."

"Whatever works for him," Jason said. "But power beats speed any day!"

"Nuh-uh," Kristine objected.

"Yeah-huh," Jason looked right at his sister.

Kristine stared him down, fiercely determined to defend her case. "Nuh-uh. Speed!"

"Power!" Jason inched closer.

"Speed!" Kristine did not back down. She got right in front of Jason's face.

"Power!" Jason's nose could nearly touch Kristine's.j

"Speed!"

"Power!"

"Speed!"

"Power!"

"What are you two arguing about this time?" said the gentle yet resolving voice of the twins' mother, Veronica. "And why are you three inches away from the TV? It's not good for your eyes, you know."

"Speed," Kristine closed her eyes with a smirk, crossing her arms.

This prompted Jason to become fuming red.

Veronica glanced at the television. "So Ash goes to the next round, huh?"

"Yeah, it was awesome!" Jason boasted, briefly forgetting that he was mad at Kristine.

"Ash swept with Pikachu!" Kristine added. "Speed is obviously better!"

"Power," Jason closed his eyes with a smirk, crossing his arms.

This prompted Kristine to become fuming red.

"You're just arguing for the sake of arguing you – you – " Kristine tried to figure out what to say next.

Veronica smiled. "The truth is the both of you are right. Ash would agree to that. You need speed, and you need power. Without speed, you're vulnerable. Without power, you'll just wear yourself out. Now, both of you get up."

The twins got up and approached their mother.

"You'll both be starting your journeys tomorrow," Veronica continued. "The both of you can't be bickering over little things anymore. One thing I've learned on my pokemon journey is that I grew up pretty fast. Did you know that Ash went on his journey on his tenth birthday? Many people over there do. We do things a bit differently over here."

"Like how you need twelve badges to compete in the Inventum Championship?" Kristine asked.

"And how each gym leader represents an aspect of a true trainer, and not a pokemon type?" Jason added.

Veronica nodded. "You kids sure know your stuff."

"My dream is to travel the world!" Kristine clenched her fist with determination. "From Inventum up to Unova, all the way to Kalos and far off to Kanto, Jhoto, Hoenn, Alola, you name it!"

"And mine is to compete in every league in the world!" Jason also clenched his fist. "I want to be the world champion!"

"I also want to be the world champion!" Kristine excitedly added.

"There's only room for one and that's for Jason Kyar!" Jason faced Kristine.

"Sorry to ruin your parade, but Kristine Kyar has it for the taking!" Kristine faced Jason.

Veronica gave a light chuckle. "I guess the sibling rivalry will never die, huh?"

"Well…I guess we could compete in tag battle tournaments," Jason suggested.

"We could be the tag battle world champs," Kristine liked that idea. "Kyar twins, best duo in the world!" she then closed her eyes once more with a cute smirk. "I'm still gonna be the world champion."

Jason became fuming red once more.

"One step at a time, dears," Veronica calmed the two down. "You still need a pokemon."

"Oh right, our first pokemon!" Jason excitedly said. "I wonder what it'll be?"

"I wonder what they're going to offer us," Kristine pondered. "A squirtle? Torchic? A pikachu!?"

"Is it true that most regions have three starter pokemon?" Jason asked.

Veronica nodded. "Most of the world does. Inventum is an exception. Here in the Mountain Spring Pokémon Lab, Professor Wall will evaluate your characteristics and give you the pokemon that suits you best."

"But what if the pokemon doesn't like us?" Kristine asked.

"No need to worry about that," Veronica replied. "Wall knows his pokemon, and pokemon personalities vary just as much as people's personalities. Everyone who received their first pokemon from him has had a very strong relationship. Mountain Spring, well the entire mountain region really, is known as one of the hot spots for aspiring trainers."

"There are so many top trainers that came from our little town alone," Kristine added.

"And they got two more coming!" Jason nodded.

"Yeah!" Kristine extended her hand for a high five.

"Yeah!" Jason made contact with his hand.

"You two are enemies one minute, and best friends the next," Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Mom," Jason laughed. "We've been together since before we were born. There's no need to worry."

Kristine wrapped her arm over her brother's shoulder. "Sometimes I want to kill this knucklehead, but he's my brother at the end of the day."

"Well, that's reassuring," Veronica smiled. "Just always remember you're siblings, and please don't kill each other."

Kristine whispered into Jason's ear before letting go. "I will be the champion."

"Errrr," Jason wanted to verbally lash out.

Kristine faced him with a cute smile.

"You two go ahead and get dressed," Veronica suggested. "It's your last day before you start your journey. I believe there's someone you should pay your respects to before you undertake the biggest challenge of your lives."

"Yeah…" Jason sighed as Kristine briefly looked down.

"I guess we'll get ready," Kristine replied before leaving the living room and heading upstairs. Jason did the same.

"Well, dear," Veronica said to herself, looking up towards the ceiling. "I hope you watch over our little rascals."

* * *

By noon, Jason and Kristine were fully ready for the rest of the day. Jason donned a blue vest, a black t-shirt, and blue jeans, while Kristine wore a green t-shirt and tight jeans, while sporting a ponytail. They both headed out of the house together.

"I wonder what will be in store for us," Jason pondered.

"There's probably so much out there that we don't understand," Kristine replied. "There's hundreds of species of pokemon and many more who have yet to be discovered. And there's a lot we still don't know about Inventum."

"Yeah," Jason's face slowly grew into a frown. "Dad tried to figure out the secrets."

Kristine took a deep breath, fighting the sadness that tried to consume her emotions. She saw that Jason was down on himself. She patted him on the back. "Hey now. He's watching over us."

"Yeah," Jason looked up into the sky briefly with a light smile. The sun shined down on the two over a cloudless sky. The twins could see a flock of pidgey and pidgeotto flying overhead.

Kristine took her hand off of Jason. "Pidgey and pidgeotto," she noted. "Pidgey's so cute!"

"I like pidgeotto," Jason added.

"Well, I bet we can catch them in no time!" Kristine attempted to cheer Jason up.

Jason faced her with a smile. "Come on, let's go visit Dad."

The two walked out of their neighborhood and down a dirt path, surrounded by trees, nearby hills, and distant snow-capped mountains.

"I know!" Kristine made a prediction. "I will get a turtwig, and you will get a charmander!"

"A charmander, huh?" Jason liked that idea.

"Just imagine," Kristine envisioned. "You with your charizard one day, and me with my turtwig. No one will match our combination of speed and power!"

"Wait a second," Jason seemed confused. "If you get a turtwig, you don't plan on evolving it?"

"Nope," Kristine shook her head. "Unless, of course, turtwig wants to. You don't need to evolve Pokémon to make them stronger. You do what fits your style."

"So that's why Ash never evolved Pikachu into a raichu," Jason came to that conclusion, completely ignoring what Kristine said earlier when they were watching the Kanto Regionals.

Kristine rolled her eyes in despair of her brother's

statement. "Oh, Jason..."

The two approached the town's cemetery moments later. It is divided into two halves – one half for people, and the other for pokemon. The two steered right into the people's half of the cemetery. From there, they made a straight line towards their father's grave.

Both Jason and Kristine could see a very familiar face by their father's grave. It was his starting companion, Jolteon.

"Jolteon," Jason acknowledged. "How are you doing, buddy?"

"Jolt," the scruffy lightning canine gave a nod to both Jason and Kristine, and walked right by their father's grave to take a nap.

"Poor Jolteon never took this well," Kristine felt compassionate.

"He was Dad's first pokemon," Jason added. "Back when he was an eevee. The two did so much together."

Jason stood in front of his father's grave. The tombstone's inscriptions read: James Kyar. Fearless Adventurer. Loyal Father. May he rest in peace.

"I promise you, we will be the very best," Jason fought back his tears.

"We will be traveling all over the place," Kristine stood by her brother's side.

"We'll be battling every gym and competing in every tournament," Jason continued.

"We'll make some great friends along the way," Kristine added. "We'll make you proud."

"We know you'll be watching us always," Jason had a tear roll down his eye. He sniveled, but kept his head high. "We're going to do great. For you."

"For you," Kristine gave a nod. "Goodbye, Dad."

"Goodbye," Jason said before turning around.

Kristine placed her hand on Jason's back as the two left the cemetery in sorrow. They both swore that they would do their best to make their father proud of them. They spent the rest of the day reflecting their visit at the cemetery, and were looking forward to what was in store for them tomorrow.

—-

Jason was in his pajamas, lying on his bed that night. He didn't have the covers over him, anxious for the next day as he stared at the ceiling above.

"What if I get a charmander?" He muttered to himself. "A totodile maybe? A pikachu? What pokemon should I catch? Definitely not rattata, there's too many of them around here."

Kristine was in her room adjacent to Jason's. She had the covers over her as she laid on her side, looking at the giant marill plush at the corner of her room.

"Turtwig," she muttered, predicting her first Pokémon. "And I'll have pikachu, marill, vulpix, abra, and pidgey!"

Both were unable to sleep consistently overnight as they were too excited for the day to come. As morning came, both of them were wide-awake even before their alarms rang.

Jason got out of his bed after the alarm finally sounded. He put on his gear and packed his bag before heading out the door.

"Rise and shine!" Kristine happily greeted. She was also fully dressed and ready to go with a backpack.

"You ready?" Jason asked with a determined smile.

"You bet," Kristine gave a nod.

The two headed down the stairs, ready to head out to the town's lab.

"Hold it, you two," Veronica commanded with a smile, waiting over by the kitchen. "You two should have your breakfast first."

The two complied, and headed inside the kitchen.

Both Jason and Kristine ate their hotcakes and eggs as fast as possible.

"Slow down!" Veronica chuckled. "You'll get there in time for sure."

"Sorry, but I just can't wait!" Jason said before continuing to chow down on his breakfast.

"Today's such a big day!" Kristine added before doing the same.

"Oh dear," Veronica rolled her eyes.

A minute later, the twins were done, and they were ready to head out the door. As they reached the front door, their mother got up and spoke loud and stern. "Jason James Kyar and Kristine Marilla Kyar!"

Their full names being shouted by their mother was more than enough for them to stop them in their tracks. "Yes, Mom?" they both responded at the same time, turning around. .

"The both of you need to realize something," Veronica responded, gently yet with resolve. "What matters is you're both leaving Mountain Spring today with your first pokemon. That means you won't be coming back for a very long time, maybe even years. That means you're leaving me as well."

The twins stood there, not having assessed the full reality of the situation until just now.

"Just be safe out there," Veronica continued. "You're both good, smart kids. Look out for each other. Make the right choices."

"You don't need to worry about us!" Jason assured her.

"But I do," Veronica replied. "And I will, every day."

"We're gonna make you proud, Mom," Kristine added with a smile. "We'll do good out there."

"That's good," Veronica felt reassured. "Now, I'll be fine back here. You two go focus on being the best trainers around. If you ever need anything, just reach out at the terminals in any pokemon center. But ultimately, both of you are on your own. I can't bail you out of every little situation."

Veronica continued. "Remember that who you are defines you. Your adventures will test your character. Only the best trainers can prevail through the toughest of challenges. You are living the dreams of your very young lives, something that many people can't say, as sad as it is to admit. Your father lived his dream, and he would want you to live yours. I lived my dream as a contest coordinator, and I would not trade it for the world except for you two. Go out there, and show the world who you are and what you're made of."

"Got it!" Jason nodded, and hugged his mother.

"Love you, Mom!" Kristine did the same.

"I love you both as well," Veronica smiled. "You'll both do great. I know it."

Jason and Kristine ran out the door, with their mother looking ahead. At the end of the yard resided two bikes painted blue and green, representing the favorite colors of Jason and Kristine, respectively.

Kristine quickly picked her bike off the ground, and faced Jason. "I'll race you to Professor Wall's lab."

"It's on!" Jason took the challenge, lifting his bike.

By the time Jason lifted his bike, Kristine already had the head start, pushing as hard as she could to pick up speed down the path.

"See you there, slowpoke!" Kristine had a slightly evil laugh.

"Hey!" Jason yelled before riding his bike. He pushed as hard as he could to catch up to Kristine.

Before the twins knew it, they were riding dangerously fast down the dirt path surrounded by trees. They zipped past the cemetery as well as other residential houses before storming into the town center.

Mountain Spring was known for a dispersed small town as opposed to being compact, so the center itself didn't consist of much other than a pokemon center, a general store, a diner, and the pokemon lab. Jason and Kristine closed in on the lab, a two story glass building at the heart of the town center. Both twins slammed on their brakes before the building entrance.

As the dust settled, Jason and Kristine were side by side, catching their breaths from the competitive race they just endured.

"Ah hah!" Jason boasted. "I win!"

"Nuh-uh," Kristine stuck her tongue out at him. "I was the clear winner."

"Yeah right!" Jason objected. "I won while you cheated!"

"It's not cheating!" Kristine closed her eyes and smiled, turning away from Jason while crossing her arms. "It's called being born three minutes before you. As the older sibling, I get a head start!"

"How does that make any sense!?" Jason argued.

As Jason went on a rant at his sister, Professor Wall heard the commotion and walked outside. He towered over the twins and then some, standing at six and a half feet tall. He had buzzed gray hair, and even with the white lab coat, he looked like he had seen the entire world a time and a half over due to his rugged appearance.

"So," Wall spoke calmly. His deep and assertive voice immediately gained the twins' attention. "You must be Jason and Kristine Kyar."

"Yes sir!" Jason greeted.

"Nice to meet you!" Kristine added.

"My name is Professor Joseph Wall," Wall introduced himself. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center, and congratulations on taking the most important step in your young lives. Today, you'll be receiving your very first pokemon. "Now, if you'll follow me inside."

Jason and Kristine happily complied and followed Wall inside. They were both astounded by the computers and gadgets around them, all manned by scientists. There were even several eggs in incubation on top of one of the desks to the twins' left.

"So there are close to a thousand confirmed species of pokemon found worldwide," Wall mentioned. "Here at the lab in Mountain Spring, we work to learn the behaviors of every species of pokemon, and we work to perfect technology that documents these traits and behaviors."

Wall led the twins to a nearby desk where two red devices resided.

"These are your pokedexes," Wall explained. "Use these to scan any new pokemon you may encounter so that you get an idea of their attributes and behaviors. The pokedex can also document any behaviors and traits existing pokemon possess.

Jason and Kristine each picked up their pokedex.

"Awesome," Jason said as he fired up the screen and began looking through the pokedex.

"There are so many pokemon here," Kristine added, browsing through the screen.

"Take your pokedexes with you and follow me," Wall instructed.

The twins followed Wall further into a lab. Wall took a right, and walked into a small private room away from the main area. It was dimly lit, and there were at least two dozen pokeballs on shelves at the end of the room.

"So, Jason," Wall spoke. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to be the best trainer out there," Jason said with determination. "I want to compete in every gym and every tournament, and handle myself in every situation!"

"My that's a mature comment," Wall seemed intrigued. He then faced Kristine. "And you, dear. What do you want to do?"

"Travel the world," Kristine's eyes sparkled. "And also compete in every gym and every tournament. There are so many questions out there that I want to answer."

Wall gave a nod. "You two are very impressive. Hmm. I think I know whom to give to both of you."

Wall went up to a shelf and pulled out the two leftmost pokeballs.

"These two are adventurous, and will be quite adaptable," Wall continued, approaching the twins. He handed a pokeball to Jason. "You take this one." He then stepped towards Kristine. "And you take this one."

The twins held their pokeballs, wondering who was inside them.

"Go ahead and toss them forward," Wall instructed. "The Pokemon will be released and the ball will go right back to your hand."

"Alright, let's go!" Jason tossed the ball.

"Showtime!" Kristine did the same.

The pokeballs released at the other end of the room. Two Pokemon emerged, and it shocked the twins that both of them were eevee.

"We both got an eevee," Jason stood there, surprised as Kristine.

"Yeah…" Kristine replied, but she was excited nonetheless.

Wall continued, "Many years ago, when your father was your age, he came to this very lab. When I asked him what he wanted to do, he replied that he wanted to explore the world and discover the unknown. It was that moment where I decided to give him his eevee. What you have here is an adventurous, loyal pokemon, and it can adapt and evolve in many forms. What you do with Eevee is entirely up to you and Eevee, of course."

"My own eevee…" Jason was taken back. He walked over to his eevee.

"Hi," Jason knelt down and greeted to the brown, fluffy coated canine pokemon. It baffled scientists about Eevee's genetic makeup; it's so unstable that it can evolve into eight discovered forms under the right conditions or exposed to the right materials.

"My name's Jason," Jason extended his hand to the uncertain eevee. Jason tried to break the ice with him. "I'll be going on an adventure to compete all around Inventum. Will you join me?"

After a brief second of hesitation, Eevee seemed compliant and excited, and hit Jason's hand with his paw.

"We're going to have a lot of fun together," Jason assured his eevee before getting up.

Kristine walked over to her eevee, and knelt down just like Jason did. "Hi, my name's Kristine. It's nice to meet you!"

Eevee smiled and rubbed herself against Kristine, asking to be petted.

Kristine instantly fell in love. "Aren't you just adorable! We're going to be an amazing team together!"

"Well," Jason snickered toward his sister, talking to his Eevee. "I guess we all really hit it off, huh?"

"Eevee!" Jason's eevee barked before jumping on his shoulder.

"Woah," Jason was taken off guard. "You can really jump, can you?"

"Wow, Jason," Kristine was surprised as she got up. Her eevee then jumped on her shoulder.

"It's like they have springs in their feet," she laughed.

"Eevee are energetic," Wall said. "I will supply you with pokemon food that will last you two weeks. I also have 6 pokeballs for each of you, including the ones for your Eevee. Remember to take care of your Eevee and treat them like family. Successful trainers have the strongest bonds with their pokemon."

"Will do!" Jason assured Wall.

"We'll do our best out there!" Kristine added.

Wall gave a nod. "Good. And one more thing."

Wall handed a booklet of the entire Inventum region to Jason. "This is for both of you," he said. "It contains every bit of information for every city, every area throughout Inventum. Fort Lexing is the closest city from here, due North-Northeast. It is home of the Team Mystic Gym, and regional headquarters of Team Mystic. Its members are fond of mysterious pokemon and seek to uncover hidden discoveries. They will no doubt take fond over your eevee. If you head that way, they may be able to help you and your eevee bond and evolve to what suits you and your eevee."

"The Mystic Gym…" Jason repeated.

"We'll get there in no time!" Kristine spoke with confidence.

"If you say so," Wall smirked. "Remember that standard gym battles consist of a three on three battle. You must first catch more pokemon and grow with your team before even attempting to take on any gym leader."

"Got it!" Jason said. "Thanks for everything, professor!"

"Yeah, thanks!" Kristine happily added.

"Good luck," Wall said. "Take care of each other, and take care of your pokemon, and you'll do fine out there."

"We will!" Kristine said before waving farewell. Both she and Jason ran out the door with their eevee on their shoulders.

"Professor Wall," one of Wall's male assistants approached him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Wall nodded, still looking towards Jason and Kristine.

"May I ask why you withheld telling them about Rugged Pass and Cheron Forest?"

Wall closed his eyes with a smirk. "I can't tell the trainers of all the dangers ahead, now can I? The most I can do is give them a starting direction."

"True," the assistant seemed to understand. "But they're awfully unprepared for what's to come."

"That's exactly why Kanto, among many others, produces trainers as young as ten years old," Wall opened his eyes and faced the assistant. "Those two will be tougher individuals by the end of the day."

"As far as reaching Fort Lexing on foot…"

"I'd give it a month," Wall smirked. "Three weeks if the weather is fine and they don't get bogged down."

"I see," the assistant replied. "So you're sending them into a challenge."

"Precisely," Wall nodded. "Every single trainer had to face hardships at the very beginning. Years later, they can look back and laugh at all of their embarrassments. Being a trainer means you break yourself down as an individual entirely, and reforge yourself into someone stronger than ever.

"I remember their father James very well. He came to me at the age of twelve and received his eevee. He broke his arm that day, from what I heard, and he managed to carry himself to the pokemon center to heal himself and his eevee up. Two years later, he competed in the Inventum Champion's League and made it to the semifinals, winning gym matches and tournaments along the way. After that, he became a renowned explorer and researcher, with Jolteon at his side.

"What happened was a tragedy. I bet James' only regret is that he had to leave his kids, his wife, and his pokemon behind, but he loved the adventure. He thought he was contributing to the world by seeking answers we have yet to discover. Those two love adventure, I see it. They're going to hit a very rough patch as early as this afternoon, but mark my words, they will come out as a strong and determined boy and girl. We have some fierce competitors on our hands


	2. No Easy Way

Jason and Kristine rode due north out of Mountain Spring and towards the dirt road ahead, with their eevee still on their shoulders. The sun shined brightly over a cloudless sky, and a gentle breeze brushed over the twins and their pokemon.

"This is awesome!" Jason cheered, having the best feeling he thought he ever had.

"Yeah!" Kristine happily agreed.

The two continued to ride down the dirt path. The nearby trees cleared as grassy fields flanked the twins on both sides.

"This looks like a good spot to catch pokemon," Jason suggested, slowing down.

Kristine did the same. "Okay!"

The two stopped their bikes and got off. With that, their Eevee jumped off their shoulders.

Jason was the first to run out into a field, surrounded by hills and mountains.

"Beautiful!" Kristine gazed in awe at the scenery. "Just like our family picnics."

"Exactly!" Jason happily agreed. Then it hit him. "Except…"

"What's that?" Kristine seemed curious to what her brother was thinking.

"Kristine," Jason continued. "Remember sometimes we would have to scare off a bunch of rattata that tried to get to our food?"

"Yeah?" Kristine slightly shrugged. "What about it?"

"Well…" Jason regretfully said. "I see a rattata here."

Kristine walked right next to Jason, who was looking straight at a rattata. She looked to her right, only to see another small purple rodent. "I see another one…"

Jason saw two more appear from the distance.

"Jason…" Kristine looked around her.

"Yes Kristine?" Jason asked.

"There's rattata everywhere…" Kristine confirmed the obvious. They could count more than a dozen rattata all around them.

Jason sighed. "Why are there so many of them?"

Kristine shrugged. "Guess we just happen to live next to a rattata colony."

"Let's just move on," Jason seemed disappointed. His eevee looked up at him and titled his head, curious to know what Jason was thinking.

"Okay," Kristine smiled. "But this time, let me pick the place." Her eevee seemed to agree.

"Fine," Jason said as he and Kristine left the rattata-infested field. They got on their bikes and moved on.

Half an hour later, Kristine slowed down near a field dotted by several trees.

"Here!" Kristine declared.

"Please no rattata," Jason crossed his fingers.

"I don't see any rattata anywhere," Kristine glanced around. She got off her bike and trekked into the field with her eevee by her side.

"Hey, wait up!" Jason said as he got off his bike, his eevee right behind him.

Jason saw that Kristine and her eevee took off running and pursued them. By the time he caught up to his sister, he saw that she had already found a wild pidgey just minding its own business.

"Okay, Eevee!" Kristine looked determined. "Let's see what you can do!"

"Ee!" Eevee displayed the same determination.

The wild pidgey looked right at Eevee and Kristine, realizing that a battle was going to take place.

"Eevee, tackle!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee ran straight at Pidgey, ready to pounce. Before Eevee could strike, Pidgey flapped its wings, developing a gust of wind directed at Eevee. Pidgey's gust made a direct impact on Eevee, knocking her back on her side.

"Oh no!" Kristine gasped.

"I think it used Gust," Jason speculated. "Watch out, Kristine!"

"Eevee, get up, please!" Kristine pleaded. Eevee was slow to get up, but just as she did, Pidgey had already taken off.

"Oh wow," Kristine seemed embarrassed. Eevee came right to her.

"I'm sorry, Eevee," Kristine said. "I'll do better next time."

"Eevee!" Eevee attempted to cheer Kristine up.

"This is already starting to become harder than I thought," Kristine said. Hearing no reply from Jason, she turned around, only to see that he had taken off.

"Cool, a wild spearow!" Jason observed, both him and Eevee eyeing the nearby pokemon, a small, slick avian-like creature with a very sharp beak.

"Eevee, tackle!" Jason commanded to his Eevee.

His Eevee ran straight at Spearow, who looked at Eevee with utter confusion. Spearow then faced Eevee, and suddenly picked up speed while spreading its wings in flight. Flying just a foot off the ground, Spearow counterattacked, knocking Jason's Eevee right on his back.

"No!" Jason was in disbelief. "Eevee, are you okay?"

Eevee got up and gave Jason a nod. By then, Spearow had already taken off.

Kristine saw the ordeal as she ran up to Jason. "I'm sure Spearow used Quick Attack to defend itself. I'm sorry."

"This is already starting to become harder than I thought," Jason said.

Kristine smiled. "My words exactly. But have no worries! We'll get our first pokemon soon!"

Jason heard his stomach growl. "Perhaps we should have lunch first."

"Good thing I packed us sandwiches," Kristine said. "Okay, let's go find a nice spot to have a picnic at."

Further down the road, the two found a lightly forested area they deemed perfect to have a lunch break.

"I'm sure once we recharge, we'll be able to catch our first pokemon," Jason said, feeling confident.

Kristine pulled some sandwiches out of her backpack. Jason prepared pokemon food for both eevee. Kristine then laid down a blue mat for her and Jason to have a picnic on. The two sat down on the mat next to a tree.

"I know a thing or two about meals," Kristine said. "Learning from Mom's about to pay off."

As both eevee were enjoying their lunch, Jason was about to bite into his sandwich when it was suddenly snagged away by another pokemon.

"What the," Jason was caught off guard. He looked up to see a wild aipom hanging from the tree by its tail, eating his sandwich.

"Is that an aipom?" Kristine was more interested in the pokemon rather than the fact that it ate her brother's food. Besides, she prepared many more sandwiches in advance.

Kristine pulled out her pokedex and examined the happily clever creature.

"Aipom, the long tail pokemon," the pokedex briefed, using a computerized female voice. "It lives atop tall trees. Its tail is so powerful that it can use it to grab a tree branch and hold itself up in the air."

"And that's exactly what it's doing," Kristine seemed to be in awe.

"Yeah, well, the purple monkey's got my food while hanging from the branch with its tail-hand-whatever that thing is!" Jason did not seem happy at all. "Oh, he's mine!"

"It's a tail in the shape of a hand, which is why it has a strong grip," Kristine explained.

"Whatever," Jason brushed off Kristine's comment. "Eevee, tackle!"

Jason's eevee, who was eating his food, looked up at Jason, his head tilted.

"Let Eevee be," Kristine suggested. "Let Aipom have its fun. Besides, I got plenty more –"

Just then, Kristine turned around. While Aipom was distracting and taunting Jason and Kristine, a second aipom snuck to Kristine's backpack with the rest of their sandwiches. That aipom managed to carry all of the sandwiches using its two arms.

"Ee ee ooh ooh ahh ahh," the second aipom laughed as it ran from Kristine.

"Sandwiches…" Kristine finished her sentence, giving a sigh and looking down briefly.

The first Aipom stuck its tongue at Jason after finishing his sandwich and used its strong tail to jump to a nearby tree.

"Our food!" Jason took notice.

"Yeah…" Kristine fell on her knees in utter disappointment.

"What now?" Jason pondered.

"We could just go back and get more food," Kristine suggested.

"No way," Jason shot down the idea. "We have to keep moving forward."

"But the aipom took all of our food," Kristine replied. "Do we even know where the nearest market is?"

Jason reached into his backpack to pull out his guide to Inventum. "Let me check."

A moment later, he opened the page containing the map of the local area.

"Let's see…" Jason checked. "We cleared the rattata nest. We are at the aipom nest…"

Kristine twitched her eyes. "You mean… that information was in the guide?"

Jason ignored her. "The road takes us further north across the ridge. We go through some hills, but there's a pokemon center and store not too far away. We can get there tonight."

Kristine decided not to get after her brother for not checking the guide of potential hazards. She took a deep breath and reassured herself things will turn around. "Okay," she complied. "If we can get there, we may still be in good shape."

"Without a doubt," Jason nodded, assuring his sister that they'll be fine.

After both eevee were done with their food, the twins packed up and headed back out on the road with their bikes. It was well into the afternoon as the twins continued to ride with their eevee on their shoulders.

The terrain elevated slightly, taking the twins uphill.

Jason tried catching his breath. "So much pedaling."

"Just hang in there," Kristine remained optimistic. "Like you said, if we keep it up, we can be at the pokemon center by nightfall."

"Yeah…" Jason said as he could feel his legs burn.

While the twins were going uphill, they could see the steep ridge below on their left. On their right, they could see a forested area that scaled along with them.

Suddenly, Kristine could see something that would completely distract her and capture her heart. "A pikachu!" she gasped.

Kristine immediately stopped and got off her bike as her eevee jumped off her shoulder. She had an empty pokeball at the ready, chasing after Pikachu with her eevee at her side.

Jason came to a halt a little further up but stayed on his bike. "Kristine, careful!" he advised.

"Don't worry!" Kristine waved at Jason. "Eevee, use tackle on Pikachu!"

Kristine's eevee complied and charged at Pikachu.

"Pikachu's an electric pokemon!" Jason warned. "If you're not careful, it'll zap the both of you!"

"Oh, right!" Kristine heeded Jason's warning.

Pikachu stood there, anticipating Eevee's charge. It then began to harness electricity throughout its body.

"He's preparing to use Thunder Shock!" Jason yelled.

"Eevee, dodge!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika-chuuuuu!" Pikachu unleashed Thunder Shock right at Eevee. Eevee quickly jumped to the right to avoid the Thunder Shock. However, the lightning attack kept going, and it was heading straight at Jason.

"Oh no!" Jason and his eevee saw the shock coming. Jason jumped off his bike and ducked, while his eevee jumped off his shoulder. The shock struck his bike a second later.

Jason covered his head while the shock came right over him.

"Jason!" Kristine yelled. Her eevee came right back to her as the wild pikachu took off.

Kristine ran back to Jason.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

"I think so," Jason replied, getting up and brushing himself off. His eevee came to check up on him. "I'm fine," Jason patted his eevee on the head.

"Jason…" Kristine spoke shamefully, glancing at his bike.

Jason took notice and turned around. His bike was completely fried from Pikachu's Thunder Shock.

"My…bike…" Jason fell on his knees. "How are we going to travel now?"

"Jason… I'm sorry…" Kristine walked over to pat Jason on the back.

Jason was hungry, hungry and tired. He had enough of the day's events, and he was completely over everything. He was angry, and there was no better person to lash his anger out upon than his twin sister.

He swatted Kristine's hand out of the way. "If you hadn't been so careless over that Pikachu, I'd still have a bike! But no! You just had to run straight at him, didn't you?"

"Hey now," Kristine backed off and took to the defensive. "It was a freak accident and I said I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't unfry my bike!" Jason snapped. "You just had to be clumsy, huh?"

"Clumsy?" Kristine's face grew red. "Clumsy!? You wanna know what clumsy is? You! As a person! Who in their right mind would catch pokemon other than rattata inside a rattata nest or not warn us of an aipom nest when we had lunch? You have the field guide inside your backpack! Wall should have given it to me instead!"

"Oh yeah?" Jason became infuriated. "You were the one who left your backpack unattended when the first aipom stole my sandwich!"

"I have to admit, that was pretty funny that aipom stole your sandwich," Kristine chuckled deviously.

"Well, it wasn't!" Jason yelled bluntly.

At that point, both eevee were taken back by the argument, their heads tilted to whoever was the one yelling.

"You just have to charge in headfirst into everything you do, huh?" Kristine continued. "You make many mistakes, and I'm okay with that. Yet I make a couple, and suddenly that's not okay? You clumsy, clumsy, knucklehead!"

"Knucklehead!?" Jason had it. "Why you good for nothing bird brain!"

"Bird brain!?" Kristine drew her fists. She then took a deep breath. "Fine. If you wanna act like a child, so be it. I'm the one with the bike, after all."

Kristine walked over to her bike and picked it up as her eevee hopped onto her shoulder.

"What are you doing, Kristine?" Jason yelled at her.

"Getting away from you," Kristine snapped. "If you wanna be a jerk, fine. I'll just leave you here until you decide to grow up."

"Are you kidding me?" Jason crossed his arms as Kristine began to take off.

Kristine ignored him. The truth was Jason almost brought her to tears, and she didn't want him to see that. She figured some time away from him would suffice. She began to pick up speed, while Jason just stood there.

"I can't believe she's actually ditching me," Jason seemed surprised, his eevee by his side.

"Clumsy knucklehead," Kristine muttered to herself as she continued down the road. She was so consumed by her emotions and her ordeal with Jason that she was completely unaware of a skiddo in front of her.

Skiddo, a grass type goat Pokemon, just stood there and stared Kristine down. As she looked up, her first instinct was to steer left. And she did so. Skiddo took off soon after. Meanwhile, Jason was able to see what was going on.

Kristine immediately realized it was a bad idea to steer left, because she found herself on the brink of tumbling down the ridge. She tried to pull her weight to stay on the road, but her eevee panicked and jumped off her shoulder. That was just enough force for gravity to pull her down the ledge.

"Aaah!" Kristine fell off her bike, hitting her legs hard on the soil as she tumbled down the hill.

"Kristine!" Jason yelled. He instantly became concerned over his twin sister and forgot the whole argument just minutes ago. "Come on, Eevee, let's go!"

Jason ran down the road with his eevee by his side before they met up with Kristine's eevee. As Jason looked down the hill, Kristine was still tumbling to the base.

"Guys, let's go!" Jason took charge and ran down the hill with both eevee right behind him. He didn't care about his own safety, and at one point, he ended up sliding down the hill alongside both eevee.

Jason saw his sister on her back as he slid down the hill. He paid no attention to anything else but her and the eevee next to him. he slid to the base of the hill and ended up tumbling. With a few minor bruises, he quickly got up and ran towards Kristine.

"Kristine!" Jason slid on his knees right by his sister's side. "Please tell me you're okay!"

"Ow," Kristine cried in pain, tears rolling down her eyes. "I don't think I am."

Jason examined her. "Can you move anything?"

Kristine moved her arms. "My arms work. I may have cracked a rib. And I can't move my left foot."

"Let me check it out," Jason moved over to Kristine's foot, and attempted to grab a hold of it.

Kristine screamed in pain. "Please don't touch it!"

"I'm just trying to remove your shoe," Jason calmly explained.

"It hurts so much," Kristine tried to hold back further tears. "I don't think I can walk…"

The sun began to set. Jason had to think quickly on what to do.

"I can get you to the pokemon center as soon as possible," Jason decided.

Kristine's eevee walked over to her side, trying to soothe her.

"Everything will be okay, Eevee," Kristine smiled, reassuring her eevee that everything is indeed okay.

"Just hold onto my shoulders," Jason instructed.

"Okay," Kristine grabbed his shoulders.

Jason then lifted Kristine up by her legs. "Easy does it."

"Easy, huh?" Kristine snickered, fighting through the pain even by being lifted up. "One thing I've learned today is that there is no easy way."

"You got that right," Jason smiled at her.

Kristine placed her chin on Jason's shoulder as a way of hugging him. She glanced ahead before realizing she was looking at a pristine lake surrounded by hills.

"It's so beautiful," Kristine said in awe. She then took her chin off of Jason. She also let go, forcing Jason to catch her back with one of his arms.

"You should see it with me," Kristine suggested, looking at Jason.

Jason turned around to see the beautiful pristine lake. Kristine tilted her head once more to see the lake. Even both eevee were taken in awe.

"Wow…" Jason muttered, astonished.

Suddenly, winds picked up. But it was a gentle breeze that warmly greeted both Jason and Kristine.

"What's that?" Kristine asked, pointing up in the sky.

The twins could make out an object under the sunset sky. It appeared to be a large pokemon with a massive wingspan, flying across the lake.

"Must be some kind of legendary pokemon…" Jason replied.

Whatever the pokemon was, a sense of harmony kicked in. There was something in the gentle wind that called for peace amid hostility. Both Jason and Kristine were taken by the wind and the pokemon flying above. It was as if a message was being sent – no matter what may have happened, everything would always work out. It was then when Jason and Kristine knew everything was going to be okay.

"I can't believe we just saw that," Kristine smiled at Jason.

"Me too," Jason smiled back. He then began to carry Kristine alongside the lake, looking for a route back up the hill.

"Hey Jason?" Kristine said. "I'm sorry about before. The mean things I said about you, the way I left you alone, I didn't mean it."

"There's nothing to forgive," Jason replied. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have called you bird brain. The truth is, you're the smartest person I know. A lot smarter than me, anyways."

"You don't give yourself enough credit," Kristine objected. "Yes, I'm the clever one, but that doesn't make me smarter. You're not the one who fell off the cliff, anyways."

"These things happen," Jason said. "What matters is that at the end of the day, you're my sister. I will always be at your side."

"And I am at your side," Kristine assured him. "I'd be carrying you if you were in my shoes."

Jason chuckled. "Let's get you to the pokemon center. I'm sure our eevee could really use a rest."

Both eevee nodded in agreement.

Dusk had settled in when Jason finally found a dirt path up the hill. Jason was beyond exhausted, but he pushed himself up the path and up the hill.

"We should recall our eevee," Kristine said. She looked down on them. "They look exhausted."

"Right," Jason agreed. "Think you can reach for my pokeball?"

Kristine grabbed her pokeball from her belt and grabbed Jason's as well. "Okay guys, return."

Both eevee were relieved that they were getting the rest they deserved after being out for most of the day. A red beam captured each one and returned them to their respective pokeballs. Kristine then returned Jason's pokeball to his belt.

"It's just us now," Jason said, clearly fatigued.

"You can do it," Kristine encouraged him.

At the top of the hill, Jason was drained. His legs were burning, and his body ached everywhere. He suddenly fell on one knee.

"Jason!" Kristine yelled in concern. "Jason, you can do this, for the both of us, and our pokemon!"

"Yeah…" Jason managed to muster the strength to continue. He remembered the harmonic aura and the pokemon back at the lake. It was almost like the pokemon was trying to communicate to him and Kristine. "Everything's going to be fine," he spoke with confidence, and got back up on both feet.

The moon shined over Jason and Kristine as they met the main road once again. They figured they were very well ahead of the location Kristine had fallen off.

"We should be almost there," Kristine said, trying to keep Jason alert. "I believe in you."

Jason felt like his legs became rocks, as lifting them became extremely difficult, and it only got worse. Just as he couldn't take it anymore, he saw shades of lighting off the road to the right.

"We made it!" Kristine cheered, but she was also exhausted.

"Yeah…" Jason took it one step at a time. He carried Kristine right to a welcome sign.

"Welcome to Spring Hamlet…" Jason read.

"It's a small town just like Mountain Spring," Kristine added. "And I think I see the pokemon center just ahead."

Jason was relieved. He continued forward, determined to make it into the pokemon center. With one foot forward after another, he finally made it inside.

"Oh my," gasped the woman behind the counter. She had a nurse's skirt on, and had pink hair complete with a nurse's cap. She ran over to the twins and took Kristine right off of Jason's arms.

"We're in real bad shape," Kristine spoke.

"You're not kidding!" Nurse Joy replied. "Let's get you to a bed ASAP!"

As Nurse Joy carried off Kristine to a nearby patient's room, Jason stood there, relieved that he made it. He knew he did his sister proud as he went above and beyond to rescue her. And he especially knew he made his father proud. He stood there, with a smile of relief on his face, before collapsing onto the floor…


	3. New Friends or New Rivals? Part I

Jason slowly opened his eyes. The last thing he remembered was standing near the entrance of the pokemon center. He remembered Nurse Joy carrying Kristine away to a nearby bed.

"Kristine!" Jason shot straight up.

"Easy now," said the soothing voice of Nurse Joy, who was standing over him. "Lay back down."

"Uh, okay," Jason complied. He found himself inside a bedroom within the pokemon center. Light shined through the windows, becoming apparent to him that it was daytime, perhaps still morning.

"Is my sister going to be alright?" Jason asked.

Nurse Joy nodded. "She is fine. Her injuries were not as severe as I originally thought, though she has a bad sprain on her left foot and some really bruised ribs."

At that moment, Jason's eevee came over to him.

"Eevee!" the Pokemon happily greeted, licking Jason's face.

"It's good to see you too, Eevee," Jason patted Eevee on the head. He then turned to Nurse Joy.

"Your sister has both her and your Eevee out," Nurse Joy continued. "We were both very concerned for your health."

"My health?" Jason asked, slightly confused. He thought Kristine was the one who was seriously injured.

"You were severely dehydrated," Nurse Joy continued. "The both of you have been through quite an ordeal yesterday. I suggest you two rest here for a few days. Kristine can't move without a wheelchair for the time being, and you need to take it easy."

"Got it," Jason gave a nod. "Can I see my sister?"

"She's up and about," Nurse Joy replied. "Let me get her."

Nurse Joy left the room. A moment later, she brought in Kristine, who was in a wheelchair. The first thing Jason noticed was that Kristine had a brace on her left foot. After bringing Kristine in, Nurse Joy left the room and closed the door.

"Hey there," Kristine smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I think," Jason replied, relieved to see Kristine. "I'm sorry about your foot."

"Could be worse," Kristine shrugged. "Nurse Joy says with the proper treatment, I can start putting pressure on my foot in a few days. We can get back to traveling then. I'm just…sorry that we're kinda stuck here in the meantime."

"Hey," Jason smiled. "Don't worry about it. We're in this together. Once we're ready to head out, I'm sure we'll be more prepared for this."

"Yeah," Kristine agreed. "You were a hero last night. If you didn't carry me, I don't know what would've happened."

"I try, I guess," Jason maintained a light smile, and gave a shrug.

Kristine rolled over to Jason, and held his right hand with her two hands. "I won't leave you again. I promise."

"I know," Jason replied. "Just don't beat yourself up over it, okay? Besides, if something terrible happened to me, you would have turned around."

Kristine knew Jason was correct. "Right."

"I think we should try to get to know our eevee more today," Jason continued. "Even if we can't do much. At least we can keep them out of their pokeballs all day."

Kristine agreed. "Sounds like a plan."

Jason attempted to get up, but he felt sore all over the place.

"Aaagh," he grunted in pain before lying back down.

"Nurse Joy said you were bruised all over the place," Kristine said. "Take it easy, okay?"

"Yeah…" Jason replied. "Probably from coming down that hill going after you."

Kristine lifted her shirt to reveal her torso to Jason. It was largely wrapped with white healing tape. "Another reason to thank you."

Jason rested the back of his head on the pillow. "Whatever we do, we do it together, huh?"

Kristine nodded. "Get some more rest. I'll check up on you later, okay?"

"Gotcha," Jason gave a smile.

Kristine left the room. As Jason lied there while staring at the ceiling, his Eevee jumped on his bed.

"Hey there," Jason said as he petted Eevee. Eevee walked over between his legs and took a nap.

With not much room to move, Jason remained still and closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, Kristine rolled herself back out to the main lobby of the pokemon center. Nurse Joy was anticipating her, standing behind the rounded desk.

"I didn't realize what he'd been through to save me," Kristine said. "Then again, I don't think he does either."

"The adrenaline must've kicked in for him," Nurse Joy replied. "A good rest should do the trick. He might still be sore tomorrow, but he should be up and running."

"Knowing him, he'll be wanting to head out tomorrow."

"You need at least a few day's rest," Nurse Joy insisted. "Your brother may have been banged up and worn out, but you have a very bad foot."

"Yeah…" Kristine sighed. "Just…you know, we've been looking forward to becoming pokemon trainers since we were in diapers. It finally happened, and our very first day went very poorly other than that we got our eevee."

"Right," Nurse Joy understood. "I've had my fair share of adventurers come by here. Many of them want to head out as soon as possible, get things done quickly. The main thing is to not overdo yourself. I've had trainers spend at least a week here because they completely exhausted themselves. Part of being a successful trainer is to know when to step in and when to take it easy.

"But, your brother just needs to rest today. There's plenty of forests and fields nearby for him to train his eevee and catch pokemon tomorrow if he chooses to, but he doesn't need to rush it."

Kristine gave a smile. "I'd think he would like that. He'd get a head start on me, but I can't really hold him back."

"He wouldn't necessarily get a head start on you," Nurse Joy replied. "More trainers are sure to come by this center. You could always befriend them and train your eevee with their Pokemon."

"That sounds like a great idea," Kristine agreed. "And by the way, thank you very much for taking me and my brother in."

Nurse Joy nodded with a smile. "It's my duty to help people and Pokemon alike."

At that moment, Kristine's eevee came over and jumped on her lap.

"Hey there, Eevee," Kristine patted Eevee's head. "Let's go outside and get some fresh air, huh?"

Kristine rolled herself out the automatic doors of the pokemon center. She felt the nice, cool breeze gently hit her underneath the lightly swaying trees that surrounded her. She looked around to see that Spring Hamlet is practically in the middle of nowhere. To her left was the front porch of the pokemon center, a wooden extension of an otherwise steel structure. Kristine rolled onto the porch and placed herself next to one of the rocking chairs.

She relaxed right there while her eevee took a nap. A while later, Nurse Joy came out with a glass of water for her. As Nurse Joy left, Kristine gazed into the forest ahead of her. She spotted a caterpie crawling up a nearby tree, and pondered whether or not to pursue it.

"So I see you're out of commission for a bit," Kristine heard a female voice near her. She then heard footsteps on the porch. She turned to see a blonde girl her age with a ponytail larger than hers.

"Yeah…" Kristine replied. "Foot sprain and a bruised body."

"Darn," the girl felt sympathetic. She then took a seat next to Kristine.

Kristine looked ahead and noticed the caterpie she spotted a moment ago wasn't there anymore.

"Name's Amanda," the girl said. "Amanda Sanders. I'm from Nashtown. I just started a couple days ago."

"Awesome," Kristine replied. "I'm Kristine Kyar. I'm from Mountain Spring. My twin brother and I started yesterday."

"Cool!" Amanda said. "Well, looks like you went off on a rocky start, so I'm sorry. But it looks like Eevee was your starter?"

Kristine nodded. "Yep. My brother and I both got our eevee."

"Your brother," Amanda mentioned. "Is he okay?"

"He is. He's just resting right now."

"May I ask what happened?"

"Well, long story short, I fell down a hill while riding my bike and avoiding a wandering skiddo on the road to here. My brother ran down the hill and carried me all the way up here."

"Wow," Amanda was taken back. "It was a little bumpy on the way here."

"I guess you can say that," Kristine smiled. "We'll be fine though. I think we'll head back on the road in a few days."

"That's good at least," Amanda gave a nod. "Have you got any practice yet for your eevee?"

Kristine shook her head. "No."

"Would you like to battle me?" Amanda asked. "I got a chance to battle once against one of my peers. We were given a choice of three Kanto regional starter pokemon."

"Kanto?" Kristine seemed intrigued. "That means bulbasaur, charmander, and squirtle."

"Mmhmm. I got Squirtle. The boy I battled, Bran, got Bulbasaur. He beat me. And Liz got Charmander. I think she was heading the same way I was."

"My professor just analyzed us and gave us pokemon that synced with our ambitions and personalities," Kristine explained.

"That's unique," Amanda noted. "Definitely not traditional."

"Well, Professor Wall is not a traditional man."

"So what do you say?" Amanda proposed. "Your eevee against my squirtle? Just for fun."

Eevee's ears perked up as she looked at Kristine.

"What do you think, Eevee?" Kristine asked.

"Eevee!" Eevee seemed to approve.

"That's a yes," Kristine confirmed.

"Okay then," Amanda got up and walked out of the porch. Kristine rolled herself out of the porch and out to the nearby open field.

Eevee jumped out of Kristine's lap, facing Amanda.

"Showtime, Eevee!" Kristine said.

Amanda pulled a pokeball from her waist. "Squirtle, it's all you!" she threw the pokeball forward. It opened, revealing Squirtle.

For a point of reference, Kristine used the pokedex to scan the light blue turtle-like standing creature. "Squirtle," the pokedex analyzed. "The tiny turtle Pokemon. During battle, it can hide in its shell while spraying water at its opponent whenever it can."

Amanda chuckled. "Well, we're working on that part."

"Squirtle!" Squirtle confidently spoke, standing with its legs bent forward, ready to battle Kristine's Eevee.

"You can go first, Kristine," Amanda declared.

Kristine wondered why, but she went with it. "Okay. Eevee, Tackle!"

Kristine's Eevee ran forward, ready to strike at Squirtle.

"Squirtle, Harden!" Amanda commanded.

Squirtle complied, and simply hid inside its shell. As Eevee made contact, all she managed to do was push the shell back slightly.

"Squirtle, come on out and Tackle!" Amanda followed up.

Squirtle popped out of its shell and came after Eevee. It made contact, striking Eevee on the side and knocking her back.

"Eevee, are you all right?" Kristine asked in concern. To her relief, Eevee got right back up.

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" Amanda commanded. Squirtle jumped back two paces before firing a strong burst of water from its mouth.

"Eevee, dodge!" Kristine ordered. Eevee jumped to the right to avoid the water gun.

"Now Sand Attack!" Kristine followed up. Eevee used her front feet to kick up dirt towards Squirtle, preventing it from having clear line of sight.

"Squirtle, Harden!" Amanda thought in a split second to get her Pokemon out of a tough situation. Just like that, Squirtle retreated back into its shell.

"Eevee, Tackle and knock the shell back to the tree behind it!" Kristine had an idea. She was hoping it would work.

Eevee ran at the target, but this time, she was running much quicker than she was before. She struck Squirtle's shell at lightning speed. The quick strike still managed to knock the shell at the base of the tree behind it.

"Well well," Amanda seemed intrigued. "I think your eevee is learning Quick Attack."

"Good job Eevee!" Kristine complimented. "Now go with a hard Tackle!"

Eevee ran at Squirtle once more.

"Squirtle, use water gun from your shell!" Amanda commanded. A burst of water shot out of Squirtle's shell. Eevee was unable to dodge as the water struck her, knocking her back.

Eevee was quick to get up, shaking the water off her coat.

"Squirtle, Tackle!" Amanda yelled, not giving a chance for Kristine to recover.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" Kristine quickly commanded.

Eevee was quick to meet Squirtle's attack. The two collided and struck each other, knocking each other back.

Both Eevee and Squirtle got back up. With both of them breaking a sweat, Eevee growled at Squirtle.

Amanda became impressed. "Growl. If it affects Squirtle, his attacks would be less effective."

"That's cool," Kristine observed. She was about to strategize how to defeat Squirtle. But just as she could…

"Okay, I think that's enough," Amanda declared. "I don't want to wear down Squirtle any more than I already have."

Amanda used her pokeball to return Squirtle. "Return. You did a good job. Now it's time to get some rest."

"But we haven't finished," Kristine seemed puzzled as to why Amanda called the battle early.

"I figured we were just scrimmaging," Amanda explained. "Besides, we spent the past two days trekking through the hills to get to here. I'm sure you'd understand."

Kristine smiled, and understood. "Yeah. I get you."

"It was a fun battle," Amanda continued. "Besides, your eevee got some valuable experience from it. She learned a couple new moves, something you don't see every day."

"Quick Attack and Growl," Kristine mentioned. Just then, Eevee walked back to her.

"You did great, Eevee," Kristine said to her. She then pulled out the pokeball, and returned Eevee to it.

Jason suddenly walked out to the porch, only to see that Kristine and her new friend just battled each other.

"Aw, did I just miss a battle?" Jason seemed disappointed.

"Just a good old scrimmage," Amanda replied. She faced Kristine. "Is he your brother?"

"Yep," Kristine gave a nod. She then introduced the two. "Jason, Amanda. Amanda, Jason."

"Nice to meet you," Jason waved.

Amanda waved back. "Likewise."

Kristine turned around and rolled up to Jason.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Fine," Jason gave a slight shrug. "I mean, I'm kinda sore everywhere. But I can still get around."

"That's good at least," Kristine smiled.

Just then, Amanda walked past the two as she headed for the doors of the pokemon center.

"I think I'm gonna call it a day and hang out here," Amanda said. "Given that there's room here, anyways."

"I think we're the only ones staying here," Kristine said.

"That's good," Amanda replied. She then walked inside.

"Your new friend?" Jason asked Kristine.

"Friend and rival," Kristine replied. "I think we'll be seeing eachother more often."

Jason walked behind Kristine's wheelchair, and grabbed the handles. "Shall we head inside?"

"Sure," Kristine replied.

The two strolled back into the pokemon center. Later that evening, Jason and Kristine sat down at the long table within the center's guest dining room, along with Amanda. Nurse Joy walked into the room, containing a round tray with three bowls of soup.

"I go ahead a fire up a batch of potato soup for the travelers everyday," Nurse Joy said. "There are some really good cooks out there, but I do what I can."

"Well, thank you very much," Amanda expressed her gratitude.

Nurse Joy handed each of the three a bowl and a spoon. She then walked back to the kitchen.

"So, you guys are from Mountain Spring?" Amanda asked before taking a spoonful of the soup before her.

"Yep," Kristine replied as Jason began on his soup.

"Wow," Jason spoke, cherishing his soup. "This is really good."

"Right?" Amanda agreed.

"So where are you from?" Jason asked Amanda as Kristine became increasingly curious of the potato soup and took a sip from her spoon.

"Nashtown," Amanda replied.

"So that's just west of here, right?" Jason added.

"Oh boy," Kristine spoke up, savoring her soup. "This is really good."

"Yep," Amanda continued, responding to Jason. "Squirtle and I spent the last couple days traveling. Couldn't manage to catch any pokemon yet."

"We had our bump-ins with other Pokemon," Kristine added. "But no luck."

"Yeah," Amanda gave a slight sigh. "But we're gonna get a good night's rest here and head out in the morning. I'm trying to get to Fort Lexing so I hope to have a good team by then."

"Hey, Kristine and I are trying to get there too," Jason said.

"Are you?" Amanda seemed intrigued. "Well, with each of you having an eevee, and since there's a Mystic Gym in Fort Lexing, that should be no surprise. I heard the gym leader has a vaporeon, among other good pokemon."

"Vaporeon," Jason repeated. "The water evolution of eevee."

Amanda nodded. "The gym leader there's heavy into psychic, water, and dragon Pokemon. It's going to be a very tough challenge, no doubt. There are battle contests that go on year round, you know."

"Battle contests, huh?" Jason was interested.

"Well, there are contests all over the place," Kristine added. "But what we're after is the Inventum Cup, and beyond."

"That's a goal we all want," Amanda leaned forward, folding her hands. "But if you want publicity, if you want to command respect, you win those city tournaments."

A moment passed as the twins soaked up the information.

"Anyways," Amanda got up. "It was a pleasure to meet the both of you. I'm going to call it an early night and get some sleep. I'll be out the door first thing in the morning."

"Nice to meet you, Amanda!" Kristine waved as Amanda left the room.

"Yeah, nice meeting you!" Jason waved as well.

As soon as Amanda left the room, Jason briefly looked down. Kristine noticed he was conflicted in his thoughts.

"Is everything all right?" she asked him.

"Yeah…" Jason replied. He then looked at Kristine and smiled. "Don't worry about it."

Kristine believed she knew what Jason was thinking. Amanda was free to head out the next morning and continue her adventure, while Jason would have to stand back and wait.

Jason finished his soup moments later and got up. As he exited the dining area, Kristine called for him. "Jason?"

Jason turned around. "Yep?"

"You don't have to wait in here for my foot to heal," Kristine said. "There's plenty of forests, streams, and fields all around us. If you want, you can go out and train your eevee tomorrow, and catch your first pokemon."

"Are you sure?" Jason asked. "I mean, you won't be able to go with me."

Kristine smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll try to make more friends and train here. Once I heal up, we can venture on together. I just don't want to make you lose your mind from boredom, that's all."

Jason snickered. "Okay. If that's okay with you, I'll head out in the morning."

"It's great with me," Kristine assured him.

Jason left the room with a smile on his face, causing Kristine to smiled as well. She pulled out the pokeball her eevee is in.

"Well, Eevee," Kristine spoke. "Let's see if we run into more friends tomorrow, huh?"


	4. New Friends or New Rivals? Part II

The twins managed to get a good night's rest at the pokemon center. By dawn, Jason was already up and about, while Kristine was still sleeping.

Jason grabbed his jacket and gloves, fully geared and ready to head out. He pulled out his pokeball.

"Okay, Eevee," he said. "Time to get us a pokemon!"

After grabbing his backpack, Jason headed out the door of the pokemon center. From there, he chose a direction and ran into the woods on his right.

Jason walked through the woods, planning in his head what to catch.

"I could catch a bug type around here," he spoke out loud to himself. "But there are plenty of flying types to go about. I think a flying type will be better in the long run…"

Just then, Jason spotted a weedle climbing up a tree in front of him.

"Or I can catch this fellow!" Jason spoke as he pulled out an empty pokeball.

Just then, a flying pokemon swooped over Jason's head, catching him off guard and scaring weedle away.

"What the," Jason looked up. He saw a small, flying pokemon soaring at low altitude. He ran after it.

Jason trekked through the woods and out into a nearby field, running after the pokemon.

"Eevee, let's go!" Jason pulled out Eevee's Pokeball and threw it.

Eevee emerges from the ball, eager for action.

"I know who that pokemon is," Jason said to himself. "Taillow, the tiny swallow Pokemon. Taillow are gutsy. This one won't back down from a challenge."

And Jason was right. The pokemon turned itself around, knowing that it was challenged by Jason and Eevee.

Taillow has dark blue feathers with a white underside, a red face, and a short yellow beak. It's known for its superior speed compared to many other pokemon. It may be even faster than Eevee, but Jason was determined to catch this pokemon.

"Eevee, Tackle head-on!" Jason commanded.

As Taillow went straight for Eevee, Eevee ran at it. At the last second, Taillow pulled up and flew right over Eevee.

Eevee stopped himself right at his tracks and turned around. Jason saw that Taillow was making another pass.

"We need to stop it somehow," Jason observed. He then had an idea.

Taillow swooped down to begin another pass.

"Eevee, Sand Attack!" Jason ordered.

Eevee used both of his front paws to kick up the dirt before him. The dirt got into Taillow's eyes, losing its focus on Eevee.

"Eevee, Tackle!" Jason declared.

Before Taillow was able to pull up, Eevee leaped into the air and took Taillow down. Taillow slammed right into the ground. Taillow got up, however, and shook the dirt off its face. Its beak then shined as it started pecking at Eevee.

"Eevee, watch out!" Jason yelled. "Its using Peck!"

Eevee dodged Taillow's pecks left and right. Then, the unexpected occurred for Jason. Eevee successfully made a decoy image of itself – the predecessor of the move Double Team.

"He's learning Double Team…" Jason muttered to himself. He knew the move very well from watching hours upon hours of pokemon battles. Even some of Ash's pokemon have used the move before. Pokemon who use double team create multiple projections of itself either as a tactic to throw off the opponent, whether for offensive or defensive purposes.

Taillow went and pecked at Eevee's decoy. The decoy disappeared, leaving the pokemon clueless.

"Eevee, tackle!" Jason commanded once more.

Eevee was right at Taillow's side, and took it down once more with a hard Tackle. This time, Taillow was slow to get up.

"Alright, now's my chance!" Jason said as he pulled out an empty pokeball. He then threw it at Taillow.

Jason could feel his heart beating rapidly. He was feeling the adrenaline kick in; this was his moment. This was going to be his first catch.

The pokeball tapped Taillow before opening. When it did, it released a harmless red beam that teleported Taillow right inside it. The ball moved around as Taillow struggled to break free. Jason stood there, hoping that this would be it.

Then, the ball stopped wiggling around. A red pulse lit the center of the ball briefly, signaling that Taillow became bound to the ball.

"Yes!" Jason cheered. "Great job Eevee! Now we got ourselves Taillow!"

Eevee ran over to congratulate Jason.

Jason patted him on the head. "You did great!" he said. "Now let's go meet our new friend."

Jason threw Taillow's pokeball, summoning him.

"Hello Taillow," Jason waved.

Taillow stood there, looking right at Jason and Eevee. It then tilted its head towards the both, bowing in respect. It then flew right on Jason's shoulder.

"It's nice to meet you too!" Jason smiled. "Now let's see what you know…"

Jason pulled out his pokedex and examined Taillow. Not only could the pokedex analyze what Taillow's species is, but it can also analyze certain traits and characteristics the pokemon may possess. While it is usually accurate, it can only detect traits they naturally learned or that is in their gene pool. If Taillow were to know something totally uncharacteristic to its species, the only way to find out is if Taillow were to use the ability somewhere down the road.

"Peck, Quick attack, and Focus Energy…" Jason continued. "Hey, Taillow, maybe we can train you to use wing attack, huh?"

"Taillow!" Taillow nodded in agreement.

"Aren't you ready to go?" Jason chuckled.

"So you caught your first Pokemon, huh?" Jason heard a voice behind him.

Jason turned around to see who it was. It was a boy his age, with very short brown hair, almost to a buzz.

Taillow and Eevee also looked right at the boy.

"Yep," Jason was proud to admit. "Name's Jason."

The boy smirked. "That weedle you passed up on. He's my second catch."

He pulled out two Pokeballs from his belt, and tossed him forward. "Come on out."

Two Pokemon were released. One was a chimchar, a fire type chimp Pokemon. The other was a panpour, another monkey-species pokemon, only a water type.

Jason pulled out his pokedex to examine Panpour.

"Panpour, the Spray Pokemon," The Pokedex explained. "And one of three elemental monkeys. Panpour lived in forests long ago, but evolved from the Pan family to live near water. It can store water in the tufts on its head."

"That's cool," Jason said. "Where did you get 'em?"

"Hmmph," the boy crossed his arms. "I'm not telling you."

"Okay then," Jason stopped being friendly. "I guess I'll be on my way then."

"Stop," the boy demanded. "My chimchar against your eevee. Let's go."

Eevee stepped forward, accepting the challenge.

"Fine by me," Jason nodded.

Chimchar also stepped forward. "Chimchar!" he pounded his chest.

"Okay so who goes –" Jason wanted to declare who makes their move first.

"Chimchar, Ember!" the boy promptly commanded. Chimchar spat a ball of flame out of his mouth, and it was projected towards Eevee.

"Eevee, dodge!" Jason had to react in a split second. Eevee jumped out of the way to dodge the incoming Ember. The ball of flame flew right past him and fizzled in midair.

"Double Team!" Jason commanded. Eevee swiftly moved around, projecting two copies of himself.

"Double Team…" the boy muttered to himself.

"Tackle!" Jason followed up, seeing that Chimchar was confused about the projections.

Eevee ran forward and tackled Chimchar to the ground.

"Chimchar, Scratch!" the boy commanded. Chimchar used his claws to scratch Eevee's face, successfully getting him off of him.

Chimchar got up, as he and Eevee stood directly across from eachother.

"Chimchar, use Leer," the boy commanded.

Chimchar stared down Eevee with an intimidating look. Eevee took two steps back.

"Taunt 'em," the boy followed up. Chimchar then signaled Eevee to come at him while talking in a rhythm. "Chim-char! Chim-char! Chim-char!"

This prompted Eevee to step forward, growling at Chimchar.

"Eevee, use Double Team and –" Jason ordered, but Eevee ignored him. Instead, Eevee ran at Chimchar head on.

"Chimchar, Ember!" the boy declared, knowing that Eevee fell into his trap.

Chimchar spat out another ball of flame. This time, it struck Eevee, knocking him back.

"Now follow up with scratch!" the boy commanded.

Chimchar went on the offensive and struck Eevee with its claws. Eevee managed to Headbutt Chimchar to get the chimp away from him.

"Headbutt…" Jason observed. He was happy to see that Eevee managed to learn two moves today.

Chimchar backed away, but he looked ready to go again. Eevee, however, looked fatigued, and was struggling to stand up.

"Hang in there, Eevee," Jason said. Even Taillow was cheering Eevee on.

Then suddenly, Eevee fell down.

The boy smirked. Chimchar celebrated and pounded his chest once before coming back to his trainer. Chimchar exchanged a high five with Panpour.

"You did great out there, Eevee," Jason encouraged his Pokemon. "I guess your run-in with Taillow wore you out a bit." He then recalled Eevee into the pokeball. "We'll get you some rest."

The boy snorted. "Great? Whatever." He then recalled Chimchar and Panpour before walking away.

"What do you mean, whatever?" Jason stepped forward, demanding a response. "Huh!?"

"He's not worth it," Jason heard another voice behind him. He and Taillow turned around to see it was another boy. He had brown skin, and buzzed black hair.

"Name's Julian," the boy introduced himself. "The jerk you ran into is Alex. We got our starter pokemon in the same town. He chose Chimchar, and I chose this guy."

Julian released a Pokemon right out of a pokeball. It was a turtwig, the tiny leaf Pokemon.

"Turtwig!" the pokemon confidently introduced himself.

"He's a stubborn little guy, but I like it," Julian continued.

"Awesome," Jason replied. "I'm Jason. Eevee was my starter. And I just caught Taillow right here."

"Taillow!" Taillow introduced itself.

"Congrats," Julian seemed impressed. "I've yet to catch one myself. I'm trying to pick a good team of three."

"Unlike Alex, apparently," Jason mentioned. "He already has three."

"He caught Panpour at a lake on the same day we got our first Pokemon," Julian said. "I think he's just looking for agile diversity."

"He just caught Weedle," Jason added.

"Going for Beedrill," Julian assumed. "You need diversity in order to handle even a single gym in Inventum. Not like the many leaders in other regions who specialize in single types."

"Right," Jason agreed.

"Well, I gotta stop by the Pokemon Center and relax for a bit," Julian continued. "You wanna tag along?"

"Sure," Jason replied. "My twin sister is recovering there right now. She sprained her foot real bad a couple days ago."

"Twin sister, huh?" Julian seemed intrigued. "Traveling together, I take it."

Jason gave a nod. "Of course."

"Let's head back, shall we?" Julian walked forward, while Jason kept up with him.

* * *

Back at the pokemon center, Kristine managed to get up from her wheelchair, though she was still wearing a brace on her foot and ankle. She seemed to be walking around with little trouble, with Nurse Joy observing her.

Nurse Joy smiled. "With a good night's rest, I think you're ready to go tomorrow."

Kristine was relieved. "That's good news."

"You still need to keep that brace on at all times," Nurse Joy continued. "Though when you shower, you can scrub the inside to keep your foot clean."

"I'm just happy I can walk again," Kristine smiled, walking around the main lobby of the center.

Just then, a girl Kristine's age walked into the pokemon center. She had short red hair, and appeared to be holding her right arm.

"Oh my!" Nurse Joy was alerted, and walked over to the girl.

"I'm okay," the girl spoke confidently, but it was obvious she was in a lot of pain.

"Okay?" Nurse Joy didn't buy it. "I think you broke your arm. Let's get you checked out ASAP."

Nurse Joy had her arms over the girl as she helped her into a nearby room.

"Well then," Kristine looked on, muttering to herself. Then she heard the doors open again. She turned around to see her brother and another boy standing beside him.

"We saw that girl walk right in," Julian observed. "Think she broke her arm or something."

"Yeah," Kristine replied. "Nurse Joy is helping her right now."

"Hey," Jason noticed Kristine was standing. "I see you're doing a whole lot better today."

Kristine smiled and nodded. "With a good night's rest, we can get moving tomorrow morning."

"Awesome!" Jason was excited to hear the news. "Oh, and this is Julian. We kinda bumped into eachother not too long ago."

"Nice to meet you," Julian acknowledged.

"Likewise. Name's Kristine," Kristine gave a nod.

"I also have someone you should meet," Jason had a smirk, and held a pokeball.

"You caught a pokemon?" Kristine seemed happy for her brother.

"Come on out, Taillow!" Jason tossed the pokeball, summoning Taillow. "Go say hi to my sister."

"Taillow!" Taillow happily chirped, and landed on top of Kristine's right shoulder.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too," Kristine chuckled. "That means I gotta go find you a friend now, huh?"

"Taillow!" Taillow agreed.

"I find it fascinating that you're both twins," Julian remarked.

Jason and Kristine were both curious from that comment.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

"Well, for one thing, you're sticking together," Julian explained. "There's a sense of rivalry going on, which is natural. Both of you will demand eachother to be at their best, which makes it great for competition. You've known eachother your whole lives. Soon you will be competing with eachother, and against eachother. You're only going to get stronger out of it, which means that I need to be on my toes for the both of you."

Jason and Kristine glanced at eachother with light smiles.

"Now, I think I'm gonna get some rest," Julian continued as he headed into the guest rooms.

"Your new friend, huh?" Kristine smirked at Jason.

"Or rival?" Jason contemplated.

"Why not both?"

Jason shrugged. "I guess we do have new friend-rivals, huh? There was another guy who started alongside Julian named Alex. He had a chimchar, and he fought my eevee. He's definitely a rival."

"Did you beat him?"

Jason looked down briefly. "Not really."

At that moment, Taillow flew on Jason's shoulder in an effort to cheer him up.

Jason patted Taillow as he continued. "Julian has a turtwig."

"The girl who is in the patient's room with Nurse Joy," Kristine said. "I wonder if she's the girl Amanda mentioned to me yesterday. Amanda started with two others, another girl and a boy. If so, that is the girl with the charmander."

"It is the girl with the charmander," the girl said as she walked out with a cast and drape on her arm. Nurse Joy stood behind her.

"Wow, that was fast," Kristine was nearly in awe.

"No kidding," Jason added.

"You know, it's kinda ironic," the girl replied with a snicker. "There's been so many advances in medicine for the purpose of healing Pokemon, that because of it, there's been breakthroughs in human medicine too."

"All that's needed to mend broken bones is the same potions used on Pokemon," Nurse Joy added. "Liz still needs time to heal, but she can move her arm again in a few days time.

"Still can't believe I fell down that blasted hill…" the girl was nearly embarrassed to admit.

Kristine pointed down to her foot brace. "That's how I sprained my foot."

"Ouch," the girl cringed. "Name's Liz, in case you missed it."

"I'm Kristine," Kristine introduced herself. "And this is my twin brother Jason."

Jason waved.

"Twins, huh?" Liz seemed intrigued. "And the other one? Was he with you?"

"Julian? No," Jason replied. "He's our new friend-rival."

Liz chuckled. "Then consider me your new friend-rival. Twins…I got that to look forward to in the future. Means I gotta compete against more than one of ya."

"Well, we look forward to it," Kristine spoke with some competitive spirit.

"Anyways, time to go check on charmander," Liz continued. "He's pretty wiped."

"Nice meeting you, Liz," Kristine replied.

"Likewise," Liz gave a nod before leaving. Nurse Joy also left the room.

"Well, Jason," Kristine spoke. "I think we are going to need to train with each other every single day and grow with our pokemon if we're going to beat our friend-rivals."

"Then that just leaves the two of us," Jason added with a smirk.

Kristine smirked back. "As it should be. Me and you in the Inventum Cup Finals."

"I look forward to it. First, we should build our teams and get those badges."

"Agreed. But even before that, we should resupply. I checked out our handbook. Between here and Fort Lexing lies some obstacles. The Rugged Pass is less than a day's journey away, but could take as much as a week to get through it. Then there's Cheron Forest, which is very easy to get lost in if you're not careful."

"For now on, you hold onto that handbook," Jason suggested.

"Very well," Kristine acknowledged.

Both Jason and Kristine had a good night's rest at the pokemon center. By dawn, they discovered that Julian had already left, and Liz was nowhere to be seen, likely out training with her charmander. After resupplying and packing the essentials they need for camping, the twins were finally able to move again, while Kristine still had a foot brace on.

"First thing's first," Kristine declared. "I'm getting myself a pokemon!"


	5. Rugged Pass

Jason and Kristine headed down the road leading away from the Pokemon Center and Spring Haven, fully supplied and ready to continue their quest to Fort Lexing.

"So…" Kristine spoke, while looking at the field guide. "We're on Spring Way, a route connecting Mountain Spring all the way to Rugged Pass. Spring Way is considered Route 101 of Inventum, while Rugged Pass is 102."

"So is Cheron Forest 103?" Jason asked.

"Nope," Kristine replied. "Cheron Forest is classified as Inventum Pokemon Preserve 4. At the northern exit of the forest begins route 103, Cheron Trail, which takes us to Fort Lexing."

"Okay," Jason acknowledged. "Anything we need to watch out for in Rugged Pass?"

"Yep," Kristine flipped a page in the field guide. "Watch for steep drops. Watch out for Pokemon on the roads. Oh, and trainers like to hang out here to battle."

"Good," Jason grew a smirk on his face. "Eevee, Taillow, and I need to get practice in."

"Same here," Kristine said. "And I need to catch a pokemon."

"You'll get one," Jason said. "The next pokemon we see is yours."

Kristine snickered. "Well, thanks."

The two continued down the trail, surrounded by trees on both sides.

"You think we have enough supplies to last us to Fort Lexing?" Jason asked.

"I guess we'll find out," Kristine replied. "According to the guide, there's a pokemon center at the end of Rugged Pass, just outside Cheron Forest. If we do run low, we can stock up there."

"At least there's some warm beds," Jason added.

"Oh I'm sure sharing a tent won't be so bad now and again," Kristine said.

"Yeah, but you'll be kicking me out every morning," Jason bantered.

"Hey," Kristine smirked. "A girl's gotta get ready for the day, you know."

"Yeah yeah," Jason chuckled.

Just then, a flying pokemon flew right over the heads of Jason and Kristine. Kristine immediately identified the tiny creature.

"Fletchling!" she yelled in excitement. The bird had a red face, a white body, and black wings and tail feathers as it landed on a nearby tree branch. Kristine ran right towards it.

"Showtime, Eevee!" she threw her pokeball, summoning Eevee.

"Eevee!" Eevee seemed eager and ready to go.

Jason stood there, watching his sister run towards Fletchling. He pulled out his pokedex and analyzed it.

"Fletchling, the tiny robin pokemon," the pokedex addressed. "Despite the beauty of its voice, it is merciless to intruders who enter its territory."

"Fletchling…" Jason muttered. He remembered that Ash had one, and had used it several times in official tournaments in its fully evolved form, Talonflame.

"The Fire Bird!" Jason recalled, referring to the nickname he had given Ash's Talonflame. "Oh man, Talonflame was awesome."

"Fletchling!" Kristine ran below the tiny robin. She held an empty Pokeball. "Let's fight!"

"Fletchling!" Fletchling gave a glare at Kristine and Eevee, flapping its wings. Then it began to attempt to drive the two away through its chirps. "Fletch etch etch etch etch!"

Kristine smiled, trying to sweet talk the pokemon. "Hi. My name's Kristine. I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun together. I plan on traveling all over the place and becoming the best trainer around, and I plan of helping you become the best fletchling the world has ever seen. Does that sound like a deal?"

Fletchling seemed curious, and hopped forward on its branch. "Fletch?"

"We have an entire adventure ahead of us," Kristine continued. "There's much more to the world than this little old trail. Come with me, and together, we will compete together against all kinds of pokemon and see the beauty this world truly has to offer!"

"Fletch…" Fletchling seemed to ponder the proposal.

"Is she really negotiating with Fletchling?" Jason spoke to himself.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling seemed to come to a conclusion. It then hopped off its branch and glided before Kristine and Eevee, flapping its wings.

"Eevee!" Eevee stepped forward.

"I think it's challenging us," Kristine said. "Okay! Get ready!"

Eevee was ready to fight as she continued forward.

"Eevee, quick attack!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee rapidly picked up speed, springing towards Fletchling.

"Fletch!" Fletchling moved in rapid speed with its beak glowing. It touched off the ground while spreading its wings, and met Eevee head on. Both collided, striking directly at eachother as both pokemon were pushed back.

"What ability was that?" Kristine wondered. "Eevee, Sand Attack!"

As Eevee complied, Jason ran up to Kristine.

"I think its special ability is Gale Wings," Jason explained, looking at his Pokedex. "Pokemon with Gale Wings have super fast speed when using flying type moves, even quicker than your average quick attack."

"Well, how am I going to take out a Pokemon who has super fast speed?" Kristine questioned. She saw that Eevee's Sand Attack didn't connect as Fletchling took off from the ground.

Jason stood there, crossed his arms and had a grin on his face. "Power."

"Power, huh?" Kristine replied.

"Our Eevee share the same special ability, and that's Adaptability," Jason continued. "Eevee is a normal type, which means normal type moves are naturally more effective than say, a water pokemon using a normal type move. Adaptability increases that same-type attack bonus, or as the pros call it, STAB."

"You know your pokemon," Kristine complimented.

"Hey," Jason gave a nod towards Kristine. "You know your geography. I'm sure our strengths are going to pay off together."

Kristine smiled, but she needed to focus on her fight. Fletchling's beak glowed once more, diving towards Eevee.

"Eevee, Growl!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee let out a fierce, intimidating growl at Fletchling. Still Fletchling pierced right through the barrier of Eevee's growl at lightning speed, striking Eevee.

Eevee rolled over on her side, but quickly got back up.

"Growl!" Kristine commanded once more.

This time, Eevee's growl successfully got through to Fletchling before it could take off, shaking it up.

"Now Quick Attack and jump!" Kristine devised a strategy.

Eevee ran as fast as she could.

"Aim above Fletchling!" Kristine ordered.

Fletchling began to ascend, falling into Kristine's trap. It was met by Eevee's assault, knocking it back down on the ground.

"Nice hit!" Jason said.

"Thanks!" Kristine replied. She then ran towards Fletchling, who had a hard time getting up.

"Alright, pokeball!" she threw the pokeball at Fletchling.

The tiny robin was projected right into the pokeball. It didn't fight too much as the pokeball signaled it was bound, giving a red glow at the center.

"Yes!" Kristine jumped for joy. "Yes! Fletchling, welcome to the team!"

She ran over to pick up her Pokeball. Eevee ran over, happy to do a job well done.

"You did great, Eevee!" Kristine patted her.

She then looked at Fletchling's pokeball. "You did well, Fletchling. Get some rest, and I'll have you out in no time."

"That was an awful fast Fletchling," Jason said, approaching Kristine. "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" Kristine smiled. "I think we're gonna have a lot of fun together." She then pulled out Eevee's pokeball, and returned her to it.

"You get some rest too," Kristine said.

"Now we each need to find one more for a gym-ready team," Jason said.

"For the Mystic Gym, anyways," Kristine added. "They may do the traditional three on three battles, but remember that Gym Leaders can design the rules their way, as long as it fits the guidelines of the Pokemon League."

"One step at a time, dear sister," Jason replied.

Later that day, the twins approached a sign on the side of the road.

"End route 101, begin route 102," Jason read aloud.

"So begins the Rugged Pass," Kristine said.

The twins walked along the road as it began to elevate, leaving the wooded area behind. They looked around to see that they were being led up a hill.

"So pretty…" Kristine walked along in awe. The scenery gave way to lush hills and streams below, as the sun began to set.

"Maybe we should camp out nearby," Jason suggested. "We've been walking all day."

"Yeah," Kristine agreed. "But where should we camp at?"

"Down here," Jason left the trail, beginning to carefully navigate down the hill.

"But Jason," Kristine said. "I can't move like that. I still have the brace on, you know."

"Oh," Jason replied. "Let me help you, then."

He approached Kristine and offered his hand to help her down. She took his hand, and was slowly guided down the hill to a nice, flat area below.

"Thanks," Kristine appreciated the assist.

"No problem," Jason gave a nod.

Jason then took his backpack off his back, and removed the folded tent from within. As he unfolded the tent, the blue piece of shelter magically popped open. It had rubber stilts beneath, preventing it from flying away in the case of heavy winds.

"Come on out, Eevee and Fletchling!" Kristine said, throwing her pokeballs.

Both of her pokemon were projected out, and they both greeted her.

"You too, Eevee and Taillow!" Jason also threw his pokeballs, summoning his pokemon.

Just then, Fletchling and Taillow hopped towards one another.

"Taillow!" Taillow greeted.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling replied.

They both seemed to get along pretty well, as the twins observed.

"Well, we're off to a good start," Kristine said.

"Mmhmm," Jason agreed.

Moments later, Kristine prepared sandwiches for herself and her brother while Jason readied the pokemon food for all four pokemon.

As Jason got the pokemon settled in, he walked over and sat next to Kristine.

"Things are going much better today," Kristine smiled.

"Yeah," Jason smiled back.

"Let's see what tomorrow has in store, huh?" Kristine speculated.

"More good things," Jason remained confident.

Night fell as the twins eventually recalled their Pokemon. They slept within their tent, inside their sleeping bags that they kept rolled up and tied on top of their backpacks.

As dawn rose, Jason was the first to wake up, and he got ready as soon as possible in anticipation of Kristine's morning beauty requirements.

As soon as Kristine got up, she yawned and stretched her arms.

"Good morning Jason," she said.

"Morning, sis," he replied.

"I need to get ready," she said.

"Sounds good to me," Jason nodded as he left the tent.

As Kristine got ready for the day, Jason decided to venture forward with the idea of getting some early morning training in with his pokemon.

"Come on out, Eevee and Taillow!" Jason tossed his pokeballs. Eevee and Taillow came out in energetic moods.

"Let's start going for a jog, huh?" Jason suggested as he started running.

"Eevee!" Eevee ran by his side.

"Taillow!" Taillow flew right past both Jason and Eevee.

Jason ran down a flowery field surrounded by hills and adjacent to the Rugged Pass trail above. Eevee was still at his side, but Taillow kept flying around, making multiple passes around both Jason and Eevee.

"Wow, Taillow," Jason stopped as he looked in awe at Taillow.

Taillow turned around and swooped towards Jason. Taillow then landed right on Jason's shoulder.

"You're quite the flyer, aren't you?" Jason laughed.

"Taillow!" Taillow replied.

Just then, Jason saw a boy wearing a ball cap and shorts just overhead on the road.

"Hey!" the boy yelled. "Is that your taillow?"

"Sure is," Jason yelled back.

"Cool!" the boy seemed impressed. He then navigated down the hill and into the field. "Are you a trainer?" he asked, approaching Jason.

"Yep," Jason was proud to admit.

"Awesome," the boy said. "I'm trying to become a good trainer. Say, how about we have a pokemon battle? Two of my pokemon versus two of yours."

"What do you guys think?" Jason consulted with Eevee and Taillow.

"Taillow!" Taillow accepted the challenge.

"Eevee!" Eevee seemed eager to go.

"Alright," Jason spoke with determination. "Let's battle!"

"Yes!" the boy seemed excited. Time to get some training in!" He then pulled out a pokeball. "Go Zigzagoon!"

A furry Pokémon with brown and tan stripes was projected from the pokeball. It had a black streak along its eyes. "Zigzagoon!" it seemed eager for battle.

Jason pulled out his pokedex and examined the pokemon.

"Zigzagoon, the tiny raccoon pokemon," the pokedex explained. "It adapted to walking in a zigzag pattern due to its incredibly curious personality."

"So it's going to run in zigzags…" Jason muttered to himself. "Okay Taillow, let's go!"

"Taillow!" Taillow gave a nod before lifting off of Jason's shoulder.

"Careful!" the boy warned his Zigzagoon. "This Taillow's fast."

"Zigzag!" Zigzagoon heeded the warning.

"Taillow, Focus Energy!" Jason commanded.

Taillow complied, and remained stable in air as it concentrated. It then flew around in circles, feeling pumped up. "Taillow! Taillow!"

"Quick Attack!" Jason followed up. Taillow swooped down and struck Zigzagoon without resistance. Zigzagoon took a direct hit as it was knocked over.

"Zigzagoon!" the boy yelled. "Are you okay?"

Zigzagoon got up as Taillow made another pass.

"Go for another Quick Attack!" Jason commanded.

Taillow flew right at Zigzagoon for another attack. This time, the boy was ready.

"Sand Attack!" the boy yelled.

Zigzagoon kicked up dirt from the ground right at Taillow. The dirt threw off Taillow's sight as she flew right overhead and landed nearby.

"Zigzagoon, Tackle!" the boy followed up.

"Taillow, shake off the dirt!" Jason commanded.

Taillow shook its head rapidly until it could see again. It then saw Zigzagoon coming right at it in a zigzag pattern.

"Dodge!" Jason yelled.

Taillow hopped to the side, but Zigzagoon's zigzag pattern still met it head on, knocking Taillow back.

"Headbutt!" the boy yelled.

Zigzagoon came at Taillow for another zigzag assault.

"Quick Attack!" Jason commanded.

Taillow ran and spread its wings to lift off from the ground. It got the hit off of Zigzagoon first, effectively striking it on the side before it could use its headbutt.

Zigzagoon had a hard time getting up this time, but Jason was unrelenting.

"Close in with Peck!" Jason followed up.

Taillow moved right in with a glowing beak, striking at Zigzagoon head on. Finally, Zigzagoon backed up before falling down.

"Zigzagoon!" the boy yelled in concern. "No!" he then recalled it back through a pokeball. "You tried. We'll get stronger."

"Yeah!" Jason threw a fist in the air. Taillow then flew back on his shoulder.

"Good job, Taillow!" Jason complimented.

"Okay," the boy smirked. "Let's see how you do with Nidoran!"

The boy released Nidoran from its respective pokeball. Jason knew from its dark purple appearance that it is a male Nidoran. He also knew that male and female Nidoran are considered to be different classifications of Pokemon, since they have different evolutionary paths.

Nonetheless, Jason examined Nidoran through the pokedex.

"Male Nidoran, the poison pin Pokemon," The Pokedex explained. "Its large ears are used to scan threats from a large radius, even through thick grass and foliage. Its toxic horn is used for protection from natural predators."

"Eevee, let's go!" Jason signaled Eevee to run into the fray.

"Eevee!" Eevee complied.

"Nidoran, let's Hustle!" the boy commanded. "Use Tackle!"

"Nido!" Nidoran complied, and ran at Eevee.

"Hustle?" Jason wondered. He knew of a Pokemon special ability called Hustle. Pokemon who possess it are more driven to carry out attacks, but often have tunnel vision, thus reducing their accuracy. He also knew that pokemon with Hustle would tend to carry out stronger attacks.

"Eevee, Double Team!" Jason commanded.

"Eevee!" Eevee moved rapidly, projecting multiple false images of itself.

"What?" the boy seemed confused. "Your Eevee knows double team?"

"I think he just naturally has a lot of speed," Jason replied. He noticed Nidoran was confused as it ran right through a false image.

"Eevee, Headbutt!" Jason followed up.

Eevee emerged from the mirage of false images and struck Nidoran on its side. Nidoran fell, but got up a second later. But to the boy's surprise, Nidoran backed away from Eevee's fierceness.

"What's going on?" the boy yelled. "Nidoran, Double Kick! You got this!"

Nidoran continued backing away as Eevee approached forward.

"Headbutt sometimes causes opponents to flinch," Jason explained. "Nidoran was surprised by the impact."

Jason then issued an order to Eevee. "Sand Attack!"

Eevee kicked dirt right at Nidoran's face.

"Nidoran, Double Kick!" the boy yelled.

Nidoran threw its back legs all around, but couldn't see a thing.

"Run to its side and Tackle!" Jason commanded.

Eevee did just that, using tackle on Nidoran's side. Nidoran was knocked to the ground once more, and this time, it was unable to continue.

"Oh no, Nidoran…" the boy seemed disappointed in himself. He then recalled Nidoran.

"Good job Eevee!" Jason cheered, as Eevee ran back to him.

"Wow, you're good," the boy showed his respect, approaching Jason. "And you know quite a bit about battles."

"What can I say?" Jason chuckled. "I watched a lot of pro battles."

"There you are," Jason heard Kristine as she approached him from behind. "Did you just have a pokemon battle?"

Jason turned around and gave Kristine a nod. "Sure did."

Kristine rocked a ball cap and had silky smooth hair.

"And he beat us," the boy added. "He's good."

"Yeah, I did win," Jason added with a smile.

"Well, congrats," Kristine patted him on the shoulder.

"Taillow!" Taillow seemed to boast.

"Eevee!" Eevee seemed happy about winning.

"Anyways, I'm out," the boy said. "See you guys later."

"See you later," Jason replied.

"See ya," Kristine added.

The boy headed back up the hill and headed south.

"Shall we continue on?" Kristine asked.

"Yeah," Jason replied. "Let's head back and pack up."

The twins walked back to the camp as Jason recalled his Pokemon. After getting everything out of the tent, Jason disassembled it and folded it back into his backpack. Within a half-hour, the two were ready to head back out onto the road. As they climbed up the hill leading to the path, Jason helped Kristine up.

"Maybe I can get a pokemon battle in today, huh?" Kristine wondered.

"Hopefully," Jason replied. The two proceeded down the road once more.

The Rugged Pass took the twins through more scenic views, with hills and streams surrounding them. Snow-capped mountains were seen way in the distance, seeming to be in three different directions.

"Such a beautiful place," Jason said.

"I know, right?" Kristine took the views in awe. She then pulled out the handbook, and flipped to the local area, reading silently.

A few moments later, Kristine spoke up. "So Cheron Forest cuts right through these mountains. It's an extension of the Nappalchan Mountains way further north and northeast."

"The Nappalchan Mountains…" Jason repeated.

"We'll have to traverse through there eventually," Kristine added. "We pretty much have to go through the mountain range itself at some point."

"I remember Dad telling us about them," Jason replied. "That's where he caught Geodude, and where Kadabra evolved when he was Abra."

"And how Jolteon zapped a swarm of Zubat," Kristine recalled. "I'm sure we'll have those memories too."

"Yeah," Jason agreed.

By noon, the two headed down the trail once more and stopped by a nearby stream in a lightly forested area. There, they laid down a picnic for lunch. Kristine prepared food for her and Jason, while Jason prepared food for all four Pokemon, who were released.

"Eat up, guys and girls," Jason said.

Both eevee, along with Taillow and Fletchling, chowed down on their pokemon food.

"You know, I was reading some of the handbook last night," Kristine mentioned. "Team Mystic holds small tournaments every week in Fort Lexing. We should attend one of those while we're in town."

"That sounds like a good idea," Jason spoke with his mouth full.

"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full," Kristine advised.

Jason swallowed his food. "Sorry. But we should definitely do that."

"We just need a third pokemon," Kristine added.

"It'll come in time," Jason said. "We passed by a lot of pokemon before we caught Taillow and Fletchling. The moment will come where we will find a Pokemon that works best for not only us, but also the pokemon. Before you know it, we'll have a full team of six."

"Gotcha," Kristine felt assured. "Well, Cheron Forest is home to many, many pokemon. We're making good headway so far in reaching there."

"Do you know anything else about between here and there?" Jason asked.

"Well, Team Mystic comes out here often," Kristine recalled from the handbook. "They're involved in documenting wildlife around here and Cheron Forest. They're hired by the Inventum government to watch over the Forest, so technically, they have pokemon rangers in their ranks."

"That's cool," Jason said.

After the two finished up, they waited for their Pokemon to finish eating. Shortly after they were done, the twins recalled them before packing up. They then headed back up the hill, with Jason helping Kristine once more.

They ventured down the road as the hills became steeper and turned into cliffs.

"Just pay attention to what's in front of you," Kristine suggested. "Life lessons, you know?"

Jason chuckled. "Yep."

Later on, as the twins trekked through the road overlooking steep terrain, they came across a well-built wooden bridge that connected them to the other side of the pass. They were being led off a cliff, but were being met by friendlier terrain on the other side. More rounded hills were present, along with vast, grassy fields. The road even tilted downwards.

"Guess we're heading to the friendlier part of Rugged Pass," Jason said.

"Mmhmm," Kristine nodded. "We'll get through some more bumpy roads, but I think this is the worst of it, to be honest."

The two walked across the wooden bridge without incident as they crossed over to the other side.

"Easy enough," Jason added.

"Is it late afternoon already?" Kristine looked up in the sky.

"We got some good traveling in today," Jason mentioned.

"Yeah…" Kristine agreed before facing Jason. "But it seemed like it didn't last very long."

Jason smirked. "That means you're having fun."

Kristine snickered and smiled. "I guess you're right."

Moments later, Jason and Kristine heard some commotion down the road. They picked up the pace, curious to see what was going on. There, they saw a tall boy engaged in a Pokemon battle against a woman wearing an open blue vest, a blue shirt, and black shorts. She had wavy brown hair, and wore a blue hat with an emblem of an articuno – Mystic's sigil – engraved into it.

The woman was standing in front of two other men, appearing to be from Team Mystic as well. One of the men had short, blond hair spiked at the front. The other had dark skin and had dreadlocks. Both men were wearing white coats, open so that their blue shirts and black jeans were revealed.

The woman up front was battling with a marill, a rounded, water type pokemon that looked like a mouse. The boy she faced had Bulbasaur.

"A battle!" Kristine examined as she ran closer. She pulled out her pokedex to examine Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, the seed pokemon," the Pokedex explained. "A young bulbasaur uses the nutrients from the seed on its back for the energy it needs to grow."

Jason ran by Kristine's side and used his pokedex to examine Marill.

"Marill, the aqua mouse pokemon," the pokedex stated. "When the Pokemon Research Society declared the fairy type as an official classification of Pokemon types, Marill was added to the list as a water-fairy hybrid. Marill's oil-filled tail acts much like a life preserver. If you see just its tail bobbing on the water's surface, it's a sure indication that this pokémon is diving beneath the water to feed on aquatic plants."

"Marill, Water Gun!" the woman commanded.

"Out of the way, Bulbasaur!" the boy responded.

Bulbasaur jumped out of the way of Water Gun.

"Vine Whip!" the boy followed up.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur used vines right out of its seed to strike at Marill.

"Use Bubble on the vines!" the woman seemed confident.

Marill spat out bubbles that were projected at the incoming vines. The bubbles moved slower than Water Gun, but were used as a defensive tactic to stop the vines. As the vines met the bubbles, Bulbasaur's aim was halted. The vines simply fell to the ground.

"Marill, Tackle!" the woman ordered.

"Marill!" Marill yelled before charging at Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, dodge again!" the boy yelled.

"Marill, let's finish this up!" the woman grew a smirk. "Rollout!"

Marill shifted its attack. It then rolled itself right at Bulbasaur at a very fast rate. Bulbasaur was unable to dodge as it was struck head on by Marill's rollout. Bulbasaur flew so far back that it tumbled right in between Jason and Kristine.

"Bulbasaur, are you okay?" Kristine kneeled down to check on the Pokemon.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur spoke proudly, but was unable to get up.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" the man with dreadlocks declared.

"Bulbasaur, return!" the boy recalled it.

"You have many miles to go if you want to challenge Aria," the woman spoke to him, as she approached him.

"I reckon we'll just have to get better," the boy smirked.

"With that attitude, I'm sure you will," the woman acknowledged.

The boy bowed his head before heading onwards.

"I think he's one of the people Amanda mentioned that started with her," Kristine spoke to Jason.

The three Mystic members then approached Jason and Kristine.

"Two fresh trainers on the road together!" the man with blond hair spoke. He then examined the two. "Let's see…same brown hair…same age…ah ha! You're twins, aren't you?"

"Yes sir!" Jason responded.

"Called it!" the man continued, as he clapped his hands once. "Name's Bradley. My man next to me is Don, and our lady over here is Summer."

"I'm Kristine," Kristine introduced herself. "And this is Jason."

"Pleasure to meet you both," Summer nodded. "We're part of Team Mystic's Ranger division. We're out here documenting pokemon wildlife and tracking movements and migrations. It's been an easy-peasy day, so we're just on the road here challenging trainers who are heading to Fort Lexing."

"How is that going?" Jason asked.

"Competing in the Inventum League is no small task," Don replied. "Kids will talk big all they want. The reality sinks in once you are actually fighting a Gym Leader. We figure, hey, why not show trainers what it really takes to fight a Gym Leader."

"Awesome!" Kristine seemed impressed. "Hey, do you guys think you can battle with me?"

"I sure can!" Bradley stepped forward. "And how many pokemon do you have, miss?"

"Just two," Kristine replied.

"Okay," Bradley gave a nod. "I'll use two pokemon myself. First thing's first: you guys are new, correct?"

"For less than a week, yeah," Kristine replied.

"No badges," Summer added.

"Okay," Bradley understood. "I won't hold back on you, just like how Summer didn't go easy on Bran before. Are you ready?"

"I am," Kristine gave a nod.

"Okay then," Bradley acknowledged. "Go, Growlithe!"

Bradley threw a pokeball, releasing a red canine Pokemon with black stripes.

"Fletchling, showtime!" Kristine threw her pokeball, summoning Fletchling.

Jason knew Growlithe very well, but he used his pokedex anyways.

"Growlithe, the puppy pokemon," the pokedex explained. "It has a brave and trustworthy nature. It will stand up to bigger and stronger foes."

Growlithe glared right at Fletchling, causing it to be intimidated. Fletchling simply viewed Growlithe as a ferocious beast, and lost some confidence.

"Fletchling, you got this!" Kristine tried to encourage it. "Just play to your strengths."

Kristine then faced Jason. "What's going on?"

"I'll answer that for you," Bradley explained. "Growlithe's special ability is Intimidate. Anyone who faces him will feel discouraged. Growithe may be small, but he's got more pride than a snorlax who ate his fill for the day."

Fletchling backed up as Growlithe stepped forward.

"Alright then," Kristine took a deep breath. "Fletchling, up in the air!"

Fletchling complied, and shot right up in the air.

"Quick Attack!" she commanded.

Fletchling swooped down towards Growlithe at lightning speed.

"Ember!" Bradley commanded.

Growlithe shot a ball of flame right at Fletchling. Fletchling took a direct hit, and was shot out of the air, hitting the ground.

"Fletchling!" Kristine yelled in concern.

Fletchling quickly got up, however, and was ready to fight.

"Growlithe, close in with Bite!" Bradley commanded.

Growlithe charged ahead at Fletchling.

"Fletchling, Peck!" Kristine ordered.

Flechling's special ability picked in as it spread its wings and took off from the ground, swooping at Growlithe. Before Growlithe could attack, he was struck by Fletchling's glowing beak.

Growlithe was caught off guard as Fletchling passed right by him.

"Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

Fletchling turned around and dove at Growlithe, striking him once more. Growlithe fell to the ground, but quickly got up.

"Now Peck one more time!" Kristine commanded.

"Use Leer!" Bradley responded.

Growlithe was struck once more by Fletchling's peck, but his glare caused Fletchling to be even more determined in taking this intimidating Pokemon down.

"This guy's quick," Bradley said to Growlithe, referring to Fletchling. "But we have Kristine right where we want her."

"Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded once more.

"Growlithe, hold!" Bradley had an idea.

Fletchling swooped down one more time at Growlithe. Just as he closed in, Bradley gave the command.

"Jump up and Bite!" Bradley ordered.

Growlithe jumped right up, and caught Fletchling by its mouth before clamping down hard.

"Fletch!" Fletchling yelled, desperate to escape.

"Oh no!" Kristine yelled.

Finally, Growlithe tossed Fletchling aside. Fletchling was unable to get up.

"Fletchling cannot battle," Don declared. "Growlithe wins."

"Darn…" Kristine muttered to herself, seeming to be disappointed. "Come back, Fletchling," she recalled him via Pokeball. "You did great out there. I promise to get better."

"You did well, Kristine," Bradley spoke to her. "Your Fletchling's speed is nearly unmatchable. Just remember to be wary of non-attacking moves and abilities like Intimidate and Leer. Those moves helped me work down Fletchling, otherwise I would have been in big trouble."

"Right," Kristine gave a nod.

"Now I'll go ahead and use a new pokemon," Bradley continued. "We still got one more battle to go."

He then recalled Growlithe. "Good job, buddy. Get some good rest. I'll grab you some ice cream when we return to the Pokemon Lodge, okay?"

He then pulled out another pokeball. "Heads up, Kristine. This guy is a dragon Pokemon. Go Bagon!"

A light blue creature emerged from the pokeball. It had glaring eyes, teeth emerging from the sides, and had a helmet-shaped layer over its head as thick as a rock.

Jason used his pokedex once more.

"Bagon, the rock head pokemon." The Pokedex explained. "Since bagon's second evolution, salamence, can fly, it tends to dream of flying one day, and practices by jumping off of cliffs."

"And researchers believe that's how bagon developed the rock head," Jason added.

Bradley laughed. "In theory. Still figuring that one out. So Kristine, who is your starter pokemon?"

"Eevee, showtime!" Kristine released Eevee.

"Eevee!" Eevee seemed ready to battle.

"An eevee, huh?" Don seemed intrigued.

"Wow," Summer chimed in.

"An eevee…" Bradley was taken back.

"I also have an eevee," Jason added.

"Aria would want to know about this," Don suggested.

"I can send a message to her tonight," Summer said. "Bradley, we should help these kids."

"What do you mean?" Kristine seemed confused.

"We'll talk it over," Bradley said to his companions. "We can't do anything right now. We were just out here on patrol, not scouting kids with mystical pokemon."

He then faced Kristine. "Anyways, battle time. You make the first move!"

The sun began to set at that moment.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee sped right at Bagon.

"Bagon, Ember!" Bradley responded.

Bagon spat out a ball of flame.

"Eevee, quick, Sand Attack!" Kristine had to react in a split second.

Eevee stopped herself in her tracks, turned around, and used her back legs to kick up dirt against the incoming ember. The ember dissipated as it crashed against the dirt.

"Smart move, Kristine!" Bradley complimented. "Bagon, close in and Bite!"

Bagon ran right at Eevee.

"Eevee, dodge!" Kristine yelled.

Eevee dodged out of the way successfully.

"Leer!" Bradley followed up.

Bagon turned around and glared at Eevee, lowering her defenses.

"Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee sped right at Bagon once more.

"Rage!" Bradley seemed confident.

Eevee struck Bagon at his belly, but Bagon, who only slid back a few inches, yelled his name furiously before tilting his head and knocking Eevee away.

Eevee was quick to get back on her feet.

"Tackle!" Kristine insisted on getting close.

Bradley just stood there, crossing his arms. Bagon kept yelling. "Bagon! Bagon!" he charged at Eevee, using his rock hard head as a weapon.

When the two collided, Bagon knocked Eevee back once more. Eevee had a hard time getting up, but when she did, Bagon was running at her. She was unable to dodge the third assault as she was once again thrown a considerable distance. This time, she couldn't get up.

"Eevee!" Kristine yelled.

"Bagon Bagon!" Bagon yelled.

"Enough Bagon!" Bradley commanded sternly. "You won."

Bagon calmed down, and nodded at Bradley. "Bagon!"

"Now return," Bradley used his pokeball to return Bagon. "Good job. You are getting ice cream too."

Kristine recalled Eevee. "I'm sorry, girl. We'll get better, I promise."

"Kristine, I have to say I'm impressed overall," Bradley approached her. "You have a ways to go, but I liked some of your tactics."

"Thank you," Kristine took a bow.

Bradley turned to Jason. "And for you, Jason, make sure you took notes from this battle. Fighting gym leaders is extremely difficult."

"I learned quite a bit from this," Jason replied. "This battle seemed much tougher than the one I had earlier today."

"That's good," Bradley gave a nod. He then faced Kristine. "What got you at the end was a single move called Rage. When a pokemon uses Rage, it becomes solely intent on taking out the opponent in front of it. Now here's the weakness to it. See how I issued no commands to Bagon after I told him to use rage? That's because Bagon is on his own after that. I entrusted him to defeat Eevee."

"So I shouldn't have met him head on," Kristine realized her mistake.

"Utilize your dodges and sand attacks," Bradley suggested. "Does your Eevee know growl?"

"Yes," Kristine nodded.

"Growl would have really helped you. You can play the battle to your advantage without using offensive moves, just like how you used sand attack on ember."

"Anyways," Bradley continued as he began to depart. "There's a nice camping field just up ahead. Your Pokemon should do fine on a good night's rest, and they should be ready to go by morning. You're a couple days away from the Pokemon Lodge just outside Cheron Forest. We're heading back in that direction, so maybe we'll see you there."

"Sounds good!" Kristine smiled. "Oh and thanks for the battle! I learned a lot!"

"Yeah, no problem!" Bradley smiled back.

"See you soon!" Jason waved goodbye.

The three members of Mystic departed, venturing down the road.

"Did you notice their reaction when you sent out Eevee?" Jason mentioned.

"I did," Kristine acknowledged. "Why would they be interested in our Eevee?"

"It might be something to do with Eevee evolving eight different ways," Jason replied. "Whatever may be the case, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them again."

* * *

Later that night, Bradley, Summer, and Don each sat up tents off the trail near a pond. Summer had a handheld device as she contacted Aria, the leader of the Mystic branch of Fort Lexing. A digital image of the blonde-haired woman appeared on screen before Summer.

"So these two kids each had an Eevee?" Aria asked.

"Yes," Summer confirmed. "They both seemed smart, but still have more training to do to challenge you."

"They won't be able to challenge me until they evolve their eevee," Aria continued. "They simply cannot win. Eevee draws its power from its evolutionary paths. Its unstable DNA makes it a big mystery, even to scientists who have spent their careers studying Eevee. It only leads to more evolutionary paths, which raises more questions. Help these trainers if you can. Understand the bonds they have with their Eevee, and help them evolve with their Pokemon. Part of unlocking the unknown is to understand the bonds you have with your Pokemon. That is Mystic's foundation."

"We'll cross paths with them near the Cheron Forest," Summer said.

"Good," Aria gave a nod. "It's our duty to help trainers out, and it's my duty as a Gym Leader to do just that. And maybe we can learn a thing or two about Eevee's evolution in relation to the bonds it has with its trainers."

"Agreed," Summer gave a smile. "I'll be contacting you for further updates."

"Keep up the good work out there," Aria acknowledged before signing off.


	6. A Gastly Situation

"Go Fletchling!" Kristine threw her pokeball. Fletchling hopped right out and took two steps forward, ready to fight the caterpie that was before it.

It was morning after another day of trekking through Rugged Pass. The twins were sure to make it to the pokemon lodge by nightfall at this rate. After they packed up and headed onwards, a boy wanted to challenge one of the twins with his new pokemon, and Kristine stepped up to the challenge. She really wanted to develop her skills and win a battle.

"Caterpie, String Shot!" the boy commanded.

"Fletchling, Peck!" Kristine responded.

Fletchling flew into the air with its wings spread out, and struck at Caterpie before it could even fire off its string shot. The super effective impact sent Caterpie flying back.

"How did your Fletchling move so fast?" the boy seemed startled by Fletchling's speed.

"Flechling's special ability, Gale Wings," Kristine replied. "Any flying type move gives Fletchling incredible speed."

Kristine followed up with a command. "Now Quick Attack!"

Fletchling swooped down for another attack.

"String Shot!" the boy commanded again. This time, the sticky string connected, wrapping up Fletchling and stopping his attack.

Fletchling was forced to land before Caterpie.

"Caterpie, Tackle!" the boy followed up.

Caterpie lunged forward at Fletchling.

"Fight your way out and use Tackle!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchling used its body to rock back and forth to remove the sticky strings. As Caterpie attacked, Fletchling also lunged at it. The two collided, knocking each other back.

Kristine saw that String Shot broke.

"Quick Attack before Caterpie gets up!" she saw the opportunity to win.

Fletchling swooped right at Caterpie and struck it, sending it flying back. Caterpie was unable to continue on.

"Caterpie!" the boy seemed disappointed. "Agh…return."

He recalled Caterpie to its Pokeball.

Kristine raised her fist in the air in celebration. "Good job Fletchling! Now return!" she recalled him.

"Come on out, Sentret!" the boy threw a second pokeball. Out came a round creature with long ears and a big, bushy tail.

Jason, who was observing the battle, pulled out his pokedex.

"Sentret, the scout pokemon," the pokedex explained. "When acting as a lookout, it warns others of danger by screeching and hitting the ground with its tail."

"Sentret!" Sentret stood tall on its tail.

"Eevee, showtime!" Kristine threw her pokeball.

"Eevee!" Eevee took two steps towards Sentret.

"All right Eevee, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee charged right at Sentret.

"Defense curl!" the boy responded.

Sentret flipped forwards on its tail and curled itself into a ball. As Eevee made a direct impact, Sentret was able to deflect much of the damage in a defensive position.

"Now you use Quick Attack!" the boy followed up.

Sentret lunged forward at Eevee, using its tail to boost itself right at her. Sentret successfully struck Eevee, knocking her back a fair distance.

"Now close in and Scratch!" the boy commanded.

"Eevee, use Sand Attack!" Kristine responded.

Eevee kicked up the dirt in front of her right at Sentret, stopping it in its tracks.

"Tackle!" Kristine followed up.

Eevee tackled the blinded Sentret head on, sending it flying back.

"You got this, Kristine!" Jason cheered for his sister.

Jason thought Kristine would continue the assault with Quick Attack.

Kristine figured the boy would use Defense Curl once more and follow up with another Quick Attack or Scratch, so she decided to take a more conservative approach.

"Eevee, Growl!" Kristine declared.

Eevee approached Sentret with an intimidating growl.

"Sentret, Defense Curl!" the boy played it on the defensive. He knew Eevee's Growl would make Sentret's attacks weaker.

"Keep using Growl!" Kristine commanded. Eevee snarled at Sentret, who was curled up in a ball in anticipation of an attack.

"Ugh!" the boy became impatient. "Sentret, Tackle, let's go!"

Sentret used its tail as a spring and lunged toward Eevee.

"Eevee, Sand Attack once more!" Kristine yelled.

Eevee used her back legs to kick more dirt at Sentret. Kristine knew that Sentret was lunging to the right of Eevee.

"Eevee, Quick Attack on its side!" Kristine commanded.

Eevee leaped and quickly struck Sentret's side, knocking it down.

"Tackle!" Kristine followed up.

Before Sentret got up, Eevee struck it with a hard Tackle. Sentret flew back from the impact, and it was unable to spring back up.

"Oh no," the boy realized he lost. He then recalled Sentret and accepted defeat.

"I guess we have a lot of work to do," the boy said. "But I know one day my Caterpie and Sentret will become Butterfree and Furret, and we'll be good enough to take on the Mystic Gym!"

"Just keep at it," Kristine smiled. "Maybe we'll see you again someday."

"It was a good battle," the boy gave a bow. "Later, guys."

The boy then departed down the road.

Eevee seemed happy about the victory.

"Great job, Eevee!" Kristine bent her knees to get closer to eye level with Eevee. Eevee ran over and used its paws on Kristine's chest to stand up. Kristine gave her a hug.

"I'm proud of you," Kristine continued. She looked right at Eevee's eyes. Then, something strange happened. She felt a connection with Eevee, yet by looking into her eyes, she felt like something was entering her consciousness.

"Eevee!" Kristine heard the voice of Eevee in her mind. It caused her to lose her awareness of the reality around her. For the moment, only Eevee was in front of her. It had been more than a week since the two united, but it felt much longer than that. Kristine knew Eevee felt the same way. And for them to win a battle together, and the way they worked together to achieve victory, this was a special moment together.

"Uh…Kristine?" Jason was on one knee next to his sister, nudging her shoulder with his hand. He managed to break her trance with Eevee. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" Kristine snapped out of it. "I…I felt something…like Eevee was entering my mind or something."

"Eevee!" Eevee happily said. She then got off of Kristine.

"Psychic pokemon are known to communicate with trainers through telekinesis," Jason mentioned. "And dark pokemon. And some others."

"But Eevee's not a psychic type," Kristine replied. "Or a dark type. Or some other type. She's a normal type."

Jason shrugged. "If we see those Mystic guys again, maybe you should tell them what happened."

"Right," Kristine gave a nod as Jason got up and helped her up.

The two continued down the road all day. By afternoon they came across flat terrain with two large mountains visible on their right and left.

"We're getting towards the end of Rugged Pass," Kristine noted.

"So we'll be in the Forest by tomorrow," Jason added.

"Mmhmm," Kristine confirmed.

By nightfall, the two approached a trail leading off the main path. A nearby sign pointed then in the direction of the pokemon lodge.

"Perhaps we can get some good rest in," Jason said.

"Yeah," Kristine agreed. They walked up to a two story pokemon center in the structure of a large wooden lodge.

They both walked inside to be greeted by Nurse Joy.

"Welcome to Cheron Forest Pokemon Lodge," Nurse Joy said with a warm smile.

Nurse Joy's appearance confused the twins.

"Wait, weren't you at Spring Hamlet Pokemon Center?" Jason asked.

"Huh?" Nurse Joy seemed puzzled. "Oh, you must have seen my sister. The Joy family is a very large family. We run pokemon centers all over the world."

"That would make sense," Kristine replied.

"If you two would like a room to stay in, we have plenty of vacant space," Nurse Joy continued. "Trainers are coming and going all the time here."

"Hey, it's the twins!" Bradley walked into the lobby. "Nice to see you guys here."

"Hey Bradley!" Kristine waved.

"If you're heading out into the Forest tomorrow, have fun and be safe," Bradley continued. "There's all sorts of pokemon to go about. We've been tracking a group of gastly migrating from the west within the past week, and they've made their way into the forest. Just beware of ghost pokemon. Some of them like to play tricks on unsuspecting travelers."

"Gastly, huh?" Jason replied. "We'll keep that in mind."

"Just stay in your tents at night," Bradley advised. "If you hear someone you don't know, don't go out."

"Gotcha," Kristine acknowledged.

"Shall I lead you guys to your room?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Sure," Jason nodded. He then followed Nurse Joy out of the lobby and down the hallway.

Kristine began to follow Jason, but then she remembered to bring her incident with Eevee up with Bradley. "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Bradley approached her. "What's up?"

"I dueled a boy this morning and won," Kristine explained. "Eevee was happy to win, and I was happy for her and for myself. We had a moment of celebration, but then I felt as if Eevee was entering my consciousness. I felt very strange."

"Your consciousness?" Bradley seemed intrigued. "You're explaining what a trainer goes through when they have a strong bond with a telepathic pokemon. Was there any intelligent communication?"

"Intelligent?"

"Was Eevee talking to you in the human tongue?" Bradley elaborated.

"No," Kristine slightly shook her head.

"Hmm…" Bradley rubbed his chin. "That could mean that Eevee feels like she has a special bond with you. But a sense of telepathy could mean one thing…"

"What do you mean?" Kristine asked.

"Go ahead and follow your brother," Bradley replied. "Let me run back to my room real quick."

"Okay," Kristine walked down the hallway to catch up to Jason.

"Here you two go," Nurse Joy opened the door to one of the rooms on the left. It was a studio with two twin beds spaced apart.

"Thanks a bunch," Jason showed his gratitude.

"You're welcome," Nurse Joy smiled. "If you need anything else, let me know,"

"Will do," Kristine replied.

Nurse Joy walked back to the hallway. As Jason went inside the room, Kristine saw Bradley approach her from the other end of the hallway.

"I have something I want to give to you," he said, holding something in his hand. "Eevee's evolutions are a mystery. It was originally believed that eevee evolved from just being exposed to elemental stones."

He then revealed hardcover book to Kristine, titled: _Eeveelutions and Friendship: Eevee's More Mysterious Paths_. "This book will give you insight on the friendship-based evolutions of eevee - espeon, umbreon, and sylveon. They all have the ability to telepathically communicate with trainers. This will give you more insight on where Eevee is heading."

Bradley handed the book over to Kristine as she gladly accepted it.

"Thank you so much," Kristine spoke with gratitude.

"No problem," Bradley nodded. "If anything happens to Eevee, let me know. Aria loves it when we document eevee evolutions."

"Will do," Kristine assured him. She glanced at the cover. "Written by Blanche Dubois. She's the Mystic leader, right?"

"Yep!" Brad nodded. "Anyways, I gotta get some shuteye. Summer, Don, and I are heading out early in the morning tomorrow. Our rotations are coming to an end, so we gotta get back to Fort Lexing."

"Okay," Kristine said. "Have a good night."

"You too, kid," Bradley nodded. "Make sure you and your twin stay safe out there."

Kristine snickered. "We will."

As Bradley walked away, Kristine headed inside.

"I take it you talked to Bradley?" Jason asked.

"Mmhmm," Kristine affirmed. "He gave me this book."

"A book about eeveelutions?" Jason was almost jealous. "You do know what that means, right?"

"That Eevee wants to evolve, right?" Kristine replied.

"Bradley gave you a that book because he thinks Eevee is going to evolve into an espeon, umbreon, or sylveon," Jason explained. "It totally makes sense if Eevee is trying to talk to you through telepathy. I just find it weird that Eevee can do that now."

"Wait, would that make Eevee a non-normal type?" Kristine asked. "Because Eevee is classified as a normal type."

"Who knows?" Jason shrugged. "Let's see what happens tomorrow."

The twins got to bed shortly after. As Jason soon fell asleep, Kristine remained awake, reading the book Bradley gave her.

 _An eevee with an affinity for daylight is known to become espeon,_ she read. _An eevee known to be more nocturnal is known to become umbreon, while an eevee known to be keen on its appearance is known to become sylveon. All of this remains in theory, of course._

As Kristine continued reading, she contemplated Eevee's personality. _She's not a night eevee. She isn't afraid of getting her paws dirty if needed. Could she be an espeon in an eevee's body?_

She continued to satisfy her curiosity until she could no longer stay awake. The twins slept soundly and without incident until dawn broke the next morning. After getting dressed and grabbing breakfast in the dining hall, they both headed out of the lodge and back out onto the last part of the Rugged Pass.

The two came across a sign that notified that Route 102 came to an end. As they ventured down the road, they could see huge masses of trees from a distance. The road was reduced to a small trail with mile markers.

"This is it," Kristine observed. "Cheron Forest."

"Anything we need to worry about?" Jason asked.

Kristine pulled out her handbook. "It's easy to get lost in here. A huge number of pokemon make this place their home. A lot of trainers pass by here, and Team Mystic has rangers inside here."

"We should just stick to the trail," Jason suggested.

"If we do, we should be out of here within a few days," Kristine said. "But I think we should take the time to add more Pokemon to our team."

The two proceeded down the trail, as they heard chirps, cries, and callings from all sorts of creatures surrounding them. The trees partially blocked out the sun as the twins ventured deeper.

By noon, the two headed off the trail to find a nice, flat area to settle down for lunch. They both released all four of their pokemon.

"Jason, can you take care of feeding the pokemon?" Kristine asked. "There's a stream nearby and we have an empty canister from last night I forgot to fill this morning. Might as well fill it now, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Jason replied.

Kristine proceeded out of sight of Jason and the pokemon towards a nearby stream, using the noise from the gentle water flow as a guide.

"Awesome, good, clean, water," she muttered under her breath as she kneeled down and gathered water with her canister.

Suddenly, she heard a sifting noise to her right, where a bunch of bushes resided.

"What was that?" she spoke, and shifted her eyes to the nearby bushes.

The bushes rumbled some more. Finally, a pikachu emerged from them.

"Pika pika!" the wild pikachu greeted.

"A pikachu!" Kristine was excited. Her excitement startled the pikachu away.

"Aww," she seemed disappointed. She finished gathering water, and afterwards, she headed back to her and Jason's picnic.

"I saw a pikachu out there," Kristine said.

"Awesome," Jason replied. "We should be careful out here. Remember the aipom nest?"

Kristine chuckled. "How could I not?"

As everyone chowed down on their food, more rumbling in the bushes could be heard. This alerted both eevee.

"What's going on, guys?" Jason noticed both eevee looking alert.

Kristine looked over in the bushes. "Must be that pikachu again."

Kristine got up and pulled out a can of pokemon food from her backpack. She then approached the bushes.

"It's okay," Kristine calmly spoke. "We're friends."

Pikachu slowly came out of the bushes, and approached Kristine.

Kristine opened the can, and offered it to Pikachu. Pikachu reached out its hands and took the can.

"There ya go," Kristine got on her knees.

Pikachu took a nibble of the pokemon food, and seemed to enjoy it.

"It's good, isn't it?" Kristine asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu confirmed.

"Would you like to come along with me?" Kristine proposed. "I plan to travel all around Inventum and become a Pokemon Master. There's good friends to meet along the way, and all the pokemon food you want."

Pikachu looked at Kristine, as she pulled out a pokeball.

"I promise you we'll have lots of fun," Kristine continued. "See those pokemon behind me? The girl Eevee and Fletchling are part of my team. The boy Eevee and Taillow are a part of my twin brother Jason's team. Do you like to compete?"

"Pika," Pikachu gave a nod.

"Do you like meeting new friends?"

"Pika!" Pikachu gave a sound answer.

"Then join us and we will have lots of fun together!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu was on board.

"This'll take a second, and I will let you back out," Kristine activated the pokeball and projected Pikachu into it. It became bound uncontested.

"Alright, Pikachu joins the team!" Kristine cheered.

"I can't believe that just happened," Jason looked on in awe. "If that wasn't the easiest catch ever, I don't know what is."

"A little sweet talkin' does the trick," Kristine smiled. "Come back out, Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu greeted everyone as he was projected back out.

Both Eevee, along with Taillow and Fletchling, went over to greet Pikachu.

"Welcome aboard, Pikachu," Jason went over to say hello.

Kristine pulled out her pokedex to examine Pikachu's moves.

"Let's see…," Kristine examined. "Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave, and Electro Ball! And his ability is Static! Awesome!"

"Pikachu's very heavy on the electric attacks," Jason added.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu began to emit electricity from the red spots on its cheeks.

Kristine chuckled. "Easy there, buddy."

She turned to Jason. "He knows Thunder Shock and Electro Ball, both damaging lightning attacks. What's your take on it?"

"Thunder Shock has a chance to paralyze," Jason replied. "Electro Ball is best effective on slow targets. Our Taillow and Fletchling are too fast to be knocked out of the sky by it, but it can damage a slower Pokemon really good."

"Interesting," Kristine pondered.

"If possible, I'd have Pikachu learn Double Team," Jason suggested.

"Good idea," Kristine agreed. "We need some defensiveness for his good offense."

"Exactly."

"Well, I think we should pack up and head back out," Kristine said.

"Yeah," Jason replied.

The two packed up, recalled their Pokemon, and headed back out on the road.

"So that's my team of three," Kristine said. "I wonder who's going to be in your team?"

"Who knows?" Jason smirked. "The way you got Pikachu, who knows what will happen? Maybe a gastly will come into our tent tonight and get inside one of my pokeballs."

"Hah!" Kristine laughed.

As dusk settled in, the two found a nice area to unpack and set up their tent. They settled in under the night, with all sorts of Pokemon making noise all around them. Jason browsed through his pokedex while Kristine read through the Inventum handbook.

"Huh," Jason seemed intrigued. "The pokedex says gastly live out in the Barren Flats in the west, and the Marshlands in the south. It's extremely rare to see them in Inventum outside of there."

"Interesting," Kristine replied. "There's no information on them in Cheron Forest. You'd get a ghost pokemon passing by now and again, but this is a bit strange."

"Isn't it?" Jason agreed.

"Just stay inside," Kristine added. "Don't want any ghost Pokemon playing tricks on us."

"Yeah," Jason said. He put his pokedex aside. "I'm going to bed. Night, sis."

"Night, Jason." Kristine added. "Sleep well."

Jason closed his eyes and fell asleep soon afterwards. Kristine eventually followed his lead.

It was a cool night within Cheron Forest. The breeze swept gently as the twins were sound asleep. Suddenly, the temperature dropped drastically to where it became very chilly. Jason woke up, slowly opening his eyes. When he registered how cold it was, he leaded upwards.

 _What was that?_ He thought to himself, shivering.

The chilly sensation went away.

"Whatever" he muttered, and tried to go back to sleep.

Then, it suddenly hit him. His bladder was full, and he needed to go bad.

"Ugh…" Jason became frustrated. He knew he shouldn't go out there.

But he really needed to go. If he didn't go now, he would have an incredibly embarrassing moment that he'd have to explain to Kristine the next day. He couldn't have that.

"Just gonna be real quick," Jason muttered to himself, and ran out of the tent with only his undershirt and shorts on.

He quickly ran behind a tree to relieve himself. After a solid minute, he was happy to go.

"Much better," he gave a sigh of relief. He turned around, only to be startled by a purple mist in front of him.

"Oh no," Jason knew what it was. He knew of what he was at the mercy of.

A black orb appeared from the mist. That black orb had massive white eyes, and it pierced right through Jason.

"Gaaaaastlyyyyyy" the ghost pokemon spoke hauntingly.

Jason suddenly lost consciousness, but his body was still standing. He was under the influence of Gastly's Hypnosis. As Gastly departed, Jason followed it into the night, deeper into the forest.

* * *

Kristine woke up the next morning. After rubbing her eyes, she lifted herself up. "Mornin –" she was going to say hello to her brother, but she noticed he wasn't there. "Well, I guess he had an early morning."

She stood up, and realized both Jason's Eevee and Taillow were still in their pokeballs. "That's not like him to go outside on his own like that."

Kristine ventured outside, still in her pajamas, after putting her shoes on.

"Jason?" she called. "Oh Jason?"

She then walked around. "Jason? Where on earth could he have gone?"

After spending several moments looking for him, she began to be worried. She ran back into her tent, put on her clothes, and ran back out without tying her ponytail.

"I think that knucklehead went outside," Kristine feared the worst. "And a gastly got him. But why would he go outside?" She then summoned Eevee, Fletchling, and Pikachu.

All three pokemon stood before her. Kristine also took Jason's Pokeballs and called forth his Eevee and Taillow.

She had everyone's full attention.

"Okay boys and girls," she briefed. "Jason went missing last night. I believe that he may have gone outside and was tricked by at least one gastly. Wherever he may be, he might be under that gastly's influence. I need you guys to track his whereabouts, and rescue him."

All five Pokemon gave a nod. Taillow and Fletchling took to the skies, while Kristine's Eevee and Pikachu took off in one direction. Jason's Eevee sniffed the ground, and picked up the scent. He then ran in a different direction.

"Well then," Kristine crossed her arms. "You did whatever it took to carry me to safety when I was badly hurt, Jason. Be assured that I'm going to do the same for you."

* * *

Meanwhile, Jason began to wake up.

"Where am I?" he faintly asked. The trees above him covered the sky so much that it was dark where he was.

"Gaaaastllly!" a purple mist appeared in front of Jason again.

"Gastly, I don't appreciate this," Jason spoke sternly. "My sister is going to be worried sick, and so will my pokemon. Take me back. Now."

Gastly's physical self appeared within the purple mist. "Gastly gastlyyyy!" Gastly seemed to laugh at him. "Gaaaaaaaaastlyyyyy."

Suddenly, Jason felt drowsy once more.

"No, Gastly…" Jason fell on his knees.

That was when Jason heard something behind him.

"Ralts!" yelled a pokemon.

"Gastly!" Gastly yelled back.

"Ralts!" the Pokemon did not back down.

Suddenly, Jason felt something enter his mind. It was hard for him to explain. But whatever was happening, he noticed that gastly was losing consciousness as well.

"Ralts!" the Pokemon spoke sternly.

"Gastly!" Gastly backed off. When it did, both it and Jason regained consciousness.

"Ral ral ralts!" the Pokemon approached Gastly.

"Gastly gastly!" Gastly seemed to argue. "Gastly!" It then vanished into thin air.

Jason stood straight once more. He turned around to see Ralts, a small psychic and fairy pokemon with two rounded horns at the center of her head. Her green hair covered her reddish eyes in a bowl-cut style, and her legs had a wispy extension trailing off, making it appearing as if she was wearing a dress.

"You used Synchronize to drive off Gastly," Jason noticed. "Thank you, Ralts."

"Ralts," Ralts approached Jason.

She then extended her hand to Jason. He shook her hand gently, and when he did, he felt as if Ralts tried to enter his mind.

"Ralts, the feeling pokemon," Jason remembered the description through his pokedex. "You don't make yourself known too much, don't you?"

Ralts shook her head.

"Well, I appreciate you coming to my rescue. That was awful brave of you." Jason kneeled down. "Can you help me get back to my sister? It's really important."

Ralts gave a nod. But then, she walked back to get something. "Ral ralts!"

A moment later, she returned to Jason, and she was holding something in her hands.

"What's that?" Jason asked.

Ralts revealed the item and offered it to Jason. It was yellow in color, and was largely opulent to the eyes of many.

"Is that a thunderstone?" Jason seemed to be very surprised. "How –"

Then, something entered Jason's mind once more. He felt a sense of peace and friendship. Ralts gave him a gift because she thought of him as a friend. Jason knew that ralts as a species are shy in general, so gift giving was especially important in this case.

"I know two pokemon who can really use this," Jason smiled. "If Eevee doesn't want it, perhaps my sister's pikachu would. Thank you very much, Ralts."

Ralts smiled, then led the way for Jason to get to safety.

* * *

Kristine looked around the immediate area on her own. With no trace of Jason anywhere, she was hoping that any of her or Jason's pokemon would come up with any clues. As she headed back out onto the trail, she saw Bradley approach her.

"Hey there, sport," Bradley greeted, but he quickly found out something was not quite right. "What's wrong?"

"My brother went missing overnight," Kristine replied nervously. She was relieved to see Bradley. "I sent our pokemon out to find him. Can you help me?"

"Absolutely! I know who can help," Bradley reached for his pokeballs and released Growlithe and Bagon.

"Growlithe, can you pick up Jason's scent?" Bradley asked.

Growlithe sniffed the ground briefly. He then looked up, and barked with confidence.

Just then, Kristine's Eevee and Pikachu returned. They couldn't find any signs of Jason, to their regret.

"Don't worry," Kristine said to them. "Growlithe has a scent!"

"Growl!" Growlithe ran in the same direction Jason's Eevee set out on.

"Let's go!" Bradley said. "We'll get your brother back!"

* * *

Jason continued to follow Ralts through the dark forest.

"Agh!" Jason felt a sharp pain on his foot. He checked his foot to see that he stepped on a small branch. Thankfully, there was nothing but some redness on his foot.

Ralts turned around to check on him.

"I'm fine," Jason assured her. "We just gotta take it slow. I need shoes to get around quickly."

Ralts acknowledged, and turned around to continue on.

Just then, Jason's Eevee approached the two.

"Hey, that's Eevee!" Jason seemed relieved.

"Eevee!" Eevee happily greeted, and ran towards Jason and Ralts.

"Hey buddy," Jason kneeled down and patted Eevee on his head. "This is my pal Ralts. She saved me from a gastly."

"Eevee!" Eevee showed his gratitude.

"Ralts!" Ralts gave an elegant bow.

Suddenly, Ralts became uneasy and alert. She turned around to Jason, warning him franticly. "Ra-ralts! Ra-ra-ralts!"

"What's going on?" Jason became concerned.

 _Gaaaaasssstllyyyyy,_ Jason, Ralts, and Eevee could hear the Pokemon coming back. But then, one chant became two.

 _Gaaaaaasssstllyyyy,_ Jason heard another chant behind him. Eevee turned around and growled.

Another chant could be heard to the left and right. Then, purple mists formed all around the three.

"Oh boy," Jason stood there, looking all around him. Ralts seemed fearful of the situation.

The black orbs began to appear as different gastly materialized all around them. Jason could count six gastly.

"We're a bit outnumbered here," Jason looked on.

"Gassssssstttlllyyyyy!" All six gastly chanted at the same time, and began attempting to hypnotize the entire group.

"Ralts!" Ralts held her hands forward, trying to synchronize hypnosis' effects at the attacking gastly.

Ralts used all of her might to deflect Hypnosis back. As she became drowsy, so were the gastly. Finally, the gastly backed off from the hypnotic assault.

Then, a gastly behind Ralts floated right up to her and licked across her back.

"Ralts!" Ralts yelled in pain and fell on her knees. It became apparent to Jason that she became paralyzed.

"Gastly's Lick," Jason noted. "It has a chance to cause paralysis,"

Suddenly, the single gastly who licked Ralts fell on the ground, also suffering from paralysis. It vanished afterwards, leaving five gastly left.

"Ralts!" Ralts aimed at a gastly in front of her, and brought her hands together. The eyes of gastly turned purple. As Ralts pushed her arms forward, the telekinetic force threw that gastly back against a nearby tree. It quickly recovered, however.

Ralts struggled to stand back up, suffering from paralysis. Eevee stepped forward against the oncoming gastly. The five that were still floating slowly converged on the group.

Jason looked at the thunderstone he was holding. _I guess I have to make an important decision. But would Eevee want this?_

Then, a strafing windy attack knocked the attacking gastly away. Jason noticed it was Taillow, swooping down from the sky with glowing wings.

"Taillow!" Jason cheered. "You learned Wing Attack!"

"Taillow!" Taillow passed off a nod. Fletchling was right behind her.

Jason thought for a moment that the arrival of Taillow and Fletchling would turn the tables and send the gastly on the run. Fletchling swooped right through one gastly, but not without using a powerful Peck that left the gastly twitching the affected eye, awfully irritated. Taillow, however, used Quick Attack on another gastly, and simply flew right through it with no effect.

"Taillow, use Wing Attack, not Quick Attack!" Jason instructed.

Taillow nodded and flew back up. As Fletchling prepared to use Peck once more, a gastly flew up to him and used Hypnosis. Hypnosis caused Fletchling to lose his sense of awareness, and crashed to the ground in a deep state of sleep.

"It's not enough!" Jason clenched his fist.

At that moment, however, that gastly also crashed to the ground. It seemed that Ralts used Confusion to help support Fletchling. The gastly became disoriented, confused from the after effects. Ralts' appeared to be exhausted, however. She fell flat on the ground soon after.

Taillow hovered over Jason's head. "Taillow taillow!"

"I know," Jason looked on as the four undamaged Gastly approached him. One of them suddenly picked up speed and licked Jason on his side.

"Ugh!" Jason felt the unbearable tingle ripple through his body. He fell on one knee.

"Taillow!" Taillow used Wing Attack to successfully knock that gastly away. He hovered around Jason, acting as the last line of defense since Eevee could not do anything to affect the gastly.

The four battle-ready gastly closed in on Taillow. Protecting everyone else, Taillow flew forward with Wing Attack. One gastly flew back from the impact and appeared to be knocked out. However, the three others used Hypnosis, covering three directions. Taillow, using her instincts, closed her eyes and used Wing Attack to propel herself backwards to Jason while keeping the gastly at bay.

Jason, having no idea if more help was going to arrive soon, knew he had to make a tough choice regarding Taillow. He was getting desperate.

Eevee, overwhelmed by the incoming gastly, concentrated at the foes around him. Then, he shot out energetic stars from his body, projected at all gastly around him.

"Eevee, you know Swift!" Jason cheered amidst the chaos.

The projected stars startled the gastly, but since it is a normal type attack, it simply went right through them.

"Taillow, go find my sister and guide her to me," Jason commanded.

"Taillow!" Taillow seemed uncomfortable leaving Jason.

"Go," Jason instructed firmly. "The sooner you bring her here, the sooner we'll be safe."

Taillow gave a nod and flew away.

The gastly all laughed as the swift of stars went right through them. They further approached Jason, Eevee, and Ralts, ignoring Fletchling, who is knocked out from Hypnosis.

"Eevee," Jason addressed.

Eevee looked up at Jason.

Jason then revealed the thunderstone to him. "Do you want to become Jolteon?"

"Eevee?" Eevee looked at Jason and tilted his head.

"By all means, don't do this just to get us out of this situation," Jason continued. "My sister will be here in a minute, I know it."

Just then, the thunderstone floated out of Jason's hands and into the air before the gastly. He looked over to see Ralts using her hand to guide the stone.

"If you truly want to become Jolteon, go for it!" Jason said. "We're in this together!"

"Eevee!" Eevee gave a nod. He thought about it briefly, but he couldn't give it much time. They were seconds away from being under the influence of the gastly. He closed his eyes and reaffirmed himself. He didn't have to do this. He wanted to do this. He was born for speed and maneuverability. That was why he was one of few pokemon to learn Double Team so early on in their journeys. That was why he learned Swift in a dire situation. Becoming something more would give further meaning to Eevee. Becoming Jolteon seemed right.

Eevee opened his eyes with dogged determination. He jumped into the air and made contact with the thunderstone.

"Eevee!" Eevee roared one last time.

The contact triggered the thunderstone. It glowed, as did Eevee. He became enveloped in a blinding white glow, so bright that everyone, including the gastly, had to look away.

"Eevee…" Jason muttered to himself, shielding his eyes with his arm.

The glow completed. A transformed Eevee jumped in place before the gastly.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked. "Jolteon!"

"Jolteon…" Jason looked on to see Jolteon for the first time. He was covered in a spiky, yellow coat with a white ruff around his neck. Jason thought about his father's Jolteon. He knew that Dad would have been proud that he was following in his footsteps.

Jolteon looked on with fierceness, poised to defend Jason and Ralts, and poised to break through to the aid of Fletchling.

All three gastly then jumped towards Jolteon all at once.

"JOLT-EON!" Jolteon anticipated the attack, and used his new electric energy to produce a thunderous wave around him. Just like that, all three gastly were affected as they all crashed to the ground.

"Gaaaaasssstllllyyy", all gastly admitted defeat, and quickly evaporated from reality.

Jason's paralysis wore off as he got up. He then ran over to pick up Ralts.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked.

"Ralts," Ralts waved at him with a smile of relief.

"You're going to be fine." Jason assured her. "You did amazing out there. And you were brave."

Ralts reached her hand out to Jason, holding onto his right thumb and index fingers.

Jolteon ran over to Fletchling.

"Fletch!" Fletch was able to get back up, shaking off Hypnosis.

"Jolt!" Jolteon acknowledged.

"Jolteon!" Jason ran over to Jolteon, still holding Ralts. "Jolteon…" The first sight of Jolteon nearly brought Jason to tears of happiness.

"Jolt!" Jolteon looked at Jason and gave a nod.

"You did great," Jason smiled. "Thank you."

"Jolteon!" Jolteon acknowledged.

"Jason!" Jason could hear Kristine as she ran towards him. Her Eevee, Pikachu, and Bradley, Growlithe, and Bagon were in tow.

Taillow swooped in and landed on Jason's shoulder.

"Looks like you're safe," Kristine said. She then saw Jolteon. "Wait…Eevee evolved? Into Jolteon!?"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon greeted her.

"Well, this is an interesting development," Bradley said as he walked forward.

"Jolteon…" Kristine got on one knee and pet Jolteon. "Just like our father's…"

Kristine briefly gave Jolteon a hug. She then got up.

"How?" She asked Jason. "How did you find a thunderstone?"

"I didn't," Jason replied, smiling. He showed Ralts to her. "Ralts gave it to me. She played a major part in protecting us from six gastly. Eevee wanted to evolve. I told him he didn't have to, because I knew you were coming."

Kristine blushed. "It looked like we were just seconds too late." She then looked at Ralts. "Is she okay? She looks wiped."

"I just think she needs a good rest," Jason said. "We've been through a lot today."

By then, Kristine had already examined Ralts through her pokedex.

"Ralts, the feeling pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Ralts, originally classified as a pure psychic type, was also classified as a fairy type when the fairy type became official. Ralts senses the emotions of people using the horns on its head. This pokémon rarely appears before people. But when it does, it draws closer if it senses that the person has a positive disposition."

"We?" Kristine smirked. "Sounds like you two already share a bond. Her helping you means she senses great, positive potential in you. Ask Ralts if she wants to join your team."

"What do you say, Ralts?" Jason looked at her. "Would you like to go on an adventure with us?"

"Ralts!" Ralts consented without a doubt.

"Here," Kristine pulled out and empty pokeball and tossed it to Jason. "I'll just take one of yours back at our tent."

"Thanks, sis," Jason gave a nod. "Ralts, get a nice, long rest," he said. "You more than deserve it."

Ralts was emitted into the pokeball, and became bound uncontested.

"Return, Fletchling!" Kristine also recalled Fletchling, who appeared to be worn out. "Thank you for helping us."

Kristine's Eevee then walked over to Jolteon. "Eevee!" she greeted.

Jolteon bowed his head. "Jolt!"

"I have Ralts…" Jason stood there, not believing that just happened. "Welcome to the team, Ralts."

"Congratulations," Bradley stepped forward. "Jason, are you hurt in any way?"

"I have some cuts and bruises," Jason replied. But it's fine."

Kristine took no chances and put Jason's arm over her shoulders, helping him along the way. "Let's get you back to our camp. You can wash up and get dressed."

"Sounds like a good idea," Jason smiled.

"Just one thing," Kristine's curiosity kicked in. "Why did you leave the tent last night?"

"I needed to pee, really, really badly." Jason shamefully admitted.

"Oh, brother," Kristine rolled her eyes.

Bradley laughed. "Well, if you gotta go, you gotta go. Just unfortunate gastly happened to be in the area."

Jason was able to shake off what happened as he got some good rest and a nice bath back at the tent. The twins spent another night at the same location, this time with all of their pokemon out for protection. By then, Bradley had continued on with his companions through the forest.

The twins spent the next few days traversing through the forest. Each morning and evening, they were able to train their pokemon, experimenting with new moves and running scrimmages. At last, they reached the end of the forest to the pokemon lodge on the north side. After spending one more night in the area, they begin to get ready to head out onto Route 103, just a few days away from Fort Lexing…

* * *

 **A/N: So I realized that I unintentionally gave Synchronize a buff. In the games, the special ability passes burns, paralysis, and poisons back to the attacker. Here, I made it work on sleep statuses. I kept it as is for now, so consider Synchronize getting a minor buff in my fanfic.**

 **Also, I have an idea for a short story involving Ralts and the thunderstone, which will be a standalone from the main story. I'll likely get started on that sometime in the future. And of course please leave a review or a PM and follow/favorite if you like this story!**


	7. Bond Through Battle

It was morning at the pokemon lodge outside the northern edge of Cheron Forest. Jason and Kristine were happy to get out and be greeted by warm beds for the first time in several days.

Jason was quick to wash up, put on his clothes, and head out to the living area of the pokemon lodge while Kristine was getting ready for the day. Upon arriving at the area, he found that several trainers were glued to the big screen in front of them. Jason walked over to see what was going on.

"Kanto native Ash Ketchum, after securing the Kanto Tournament just five days ago, has declared for the Kalos Tournament once more," a female reporter addressed in a morning sports news report across Inventum. "The Kalos Tournament begins in less than three months, but Ketchum has all eight badges necessary to compete once again. Ketchum reached the finals of the Kalos League the last time he had competed.

"When asked if he wants to compete again in the Inventum League, Ketchum simply replied "We will see". The last time he had competed in the Inventum Cup, he had reached the quarterfinals."

"Ash should totally play in the Inventum Cup again!" one boy suggested. "He's a lot better than ever before!"

"He has a sick rotation," another boy added. "Charizard, Infernape, Greninja, Goodra."

"Not to mention Pikachu," a girl said. "His pikachu is the number one pikachu in the world!"

"His pikachu made him famous," a third boy mentioned. "There's a whole documentary about Ash and Pikachu."

"If he wins Kalos, he's going to Inventum," the first boy declared.

"I don't know, but I'm looking forward to other trainers," a fourth boy spoke up. "Ash took years to get to where he's at, yet there's trainers who went a lot further than he did when they were fresh in the market."

Jason remained silent through the speculation. The fourth boy was right, but Jason admired someone like Ash for displaying valor and dedication to be a name worth mentioning around the world. It has been roughly twelve years since Ash's name spread outside the fear eastern regions following his arrival in Unova. Since Kalos, his name appeared worldwide. And he was just the figure that Jason and Kristine both looked up to.

"So, what's happening?" Jason heard Kristine as she approached next to him.

"Ash won Kanto, and is declaring for Kalos again," Jason said.

"Awesome!" Kristine replied. "Think he'll go to Inventum again?"

"Who knows?" Jason shrugged. "But if he does, and if we qualify at the time…"

"Hey now," Kristine reminded him. "We gotta play each other in the finals."

Jason chuckled. "Deal. But I'm playing Ash in the semifinals."

"We'll just see about that," Kristine displayed her sense of rivalry. She admired Ash just as much as Jason admires him. "But let's make a pact right now. Let's get as strong as we can. Let's get all of Inventum talking about us, and when we play each other in the final round, let's make it a classic."

Kristine extended her hand.

"Something they'll talk about until the end of time," Jason nodded, and firmly shook his sister's hand.

The two headed out of the lodge towards a smooth Route 103. They were surrounded by flowery fields and scattered trees as far as the eye could see. There was not a cloud in the sky as the sun beamed downwards.

Shortly down the road, the two encountered a trainer off the road and in a field. He faced an abra, an idle psychic pokemon, who appeared to be just meditating.

"An abra. One of Dad's pokemon!" Kristine pulled out her pokedex.

"Abra, the psi pokemon," the pokedex explained. "It sleeps for 18 hours a day. It uses a variety of extrasensory powers even while asleep."

"Do you think it's actually sleeping?" Kristine asked.

"Probably," Jason replied.

"Go, Bulbasaur!" the trainer summoned. Bulbasaur came out, ready to battle Abra.

"Hey, it's the trainer with the bulbasaur from the other day," Kristine mentioned. "I think his name is Bran."

"I wonder why it chose to remain idle next to the road…" Jason wondered.

"Bulbasaur, remain patient," the boy commanded. "Abra will teleport away if you get too close."

Bulbasaur nodded.

It became a waiting game. Bulbasaur and Abra remained idle as they faced each other.

"Hold…" Bran spoke. "Remember what I said before. When I give the signal you go."

Jason and Kristine counted away the seconds. They wondered what Bran was going to do.

Bran simply threw his arm in the air, and Bulbasaur acted. Jason knew that Bulbasaur was using Stun Spore.

Bulbasaur shot out a yellow mist from its seed, aimed right at Abra. Before it could escape, the spore afflicted it.

"Abra!" Abra seemed to awaken. It became paralyzed, unable to escape.

"Grab a hold of it with Vine Whip!" Bran followed up.

Bulbasaur projected two vines from the sides of its seed and grabbed Abra's arms.

"Alright, let's go!" Bran threw a pokeball at Abra. Abra was projected into it, struggling to break free.

The pokeball rocked back and forth momentarily. At last, the rolling stopped, and Abra became bound to it.

"Good job, Bulbasaur!" Bran complimented Bulbasaur, yet remained calm.

Kristine seemed impressed, and approached Bran. "Hey!" she greeted. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Bran smiled. "I've been trying to catch him for two days. He seemed to play games with me."

"It was like he was challenging you," Jason observed.

"I reckon I passed," Bran shrugged.

"My name's Kristine," Kristine introduced. "And this is my brother Jason."

Jason gave a wave.

"Name's Brandal," Bran replied. "But you can call me Bran."

"So is Abra your first catch?" Kristine asked.

"Nah," Bran said. "Hoothoot was. I caught him in the Forest the other night."

"Awesome," Kristine smiled.

Bulbasaur walked over next to Bran.

"Hey," Kristine continued. "Would you like to battle?" Your Bulbasaur against my Eevee?"

"Sure," Bran gave a nod. He then faced Bulbasaur. "That sound good to you?"

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur agreed.

Jason knew why Kristine wanted to battle. She wanted to grow closer with Eevee. He looked up at the sky. It was unusually warm, and the sun shined bright over a clear sky.

Kristine took some steps back as Jason stood aside.

"Showtime, Eevee!" Kristine threw her pokeball, summoning Eevee.

"Eevee!" Eevee stepped forward.

"Alright," Bran said. "Bulbasaur, get ready!"

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur complied.

"You make the first move, Kristine," Bran replied.

"Eevee, Growl!" Kristine commanded.

Bran wasn't expecting a non-offensive move from Kristine. Eevee growled at Bulbasaur in efforts to intimidate him.

"Vine Whip, Bulbasaur!" Bran responded.

Bulbasaur threw out two vines, and lashed them at Eevee.

"Dodge!" Kristine yelled.

Eevee managed to dodge one of the vines as she leaped leftwards, but Bulbasaur's other vine struck her. Nonetheless, she was still standing on four legs.

"Tackle, let's go!" Kristine followed up.

Eevee began to charge at Bulbasaur.

"Stun Spore!" Bran responded.

"Halt and use Sand Attack!" Kristine ordered.

Eevee hit the brakes and kicked up dirt with her front paws, effectively blinding Bulbasaur. He let out a yellow mist from his seed, but only directly in front of him, just as Kristine had anticipated.

"Go right and use Quick Attack!" Kristine spoke.

Eevee ran right, attempting to flank Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, turn left and launch Leech Seed!" Bran commanded.

Bulbasaur faced his left and launched a seed. It struck Eevee's chest. While Eevee managed to strike Bulbasaur with quick attack and knocking him back, the seed within Eevee's chest grew vines around her torso. Then, it began sapping her energy.

"Eevee!" Eevee yelped.

"Oh no," Kristine became concerned over the situation. "We have to end this quick!"

"Bulbasaur, get back up and use Tackle!" Bran commanded.

Bulbasaur charged head on at Eevee.

"Dodge, Eevee, and use Quick Attack once more!" Kristine responded.

Eevee leaped to her right and struck Bulbasaur once more, knocking him sideways. The leech seed then sapped Eevee's energy once more.

"Tackle!" Kristine followed up.

Before Bulbasaur could get up, he was struck by a hard Tackle from Eevee.

"Your attacks seem to hit Bulbasaur hard," Bran noted.

"Eevee's special ability is Adaptability," Kristine explained. "Same type attacks are more effective."

"I see," Bran gave a nod.

Bulbasaur struggled to get back up.

"Stun Spore now! Stop Eevee!" Bran ordered.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded. "Run through it!"

Bulbasaur launched a yellow mist, but Eevee sprinted so fast that Bulbasaur essentially overshot the stun spore. Eevee struck him once more, sending him down on his side. He was unable to get back up.

"Bulba…" Bulbasaur conceded.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle," Jason declared. "Eevee wins."

"Ah," Bran smirked. He then pulled out his pokeball. "Return Bulbasaur. You did fine."

"Good job, Eevee!" Kristine cheered as Eevee ran back to her. Kristine got on both knees to hug Eevee. "You did great out there!"

"Eevee!" Eevee happily replied. She then looked into Kristine's eyes.

Kristine felt it again. Eevee was entering her conscious, but this time, it was different. It was as if the two became one, and Eevee was attempting to communicate intelligently.

 _We have worked well, you and I,_ Kristine heard a voice.

 _Eevee?_ Kristine communicated back.

 _Eevee no longer,_ the voice inside Kristine's mind spoke.

Then, a glow surrounded Eevee. It was blinding, enough so that Jason and Bran looked away. Kristine looked directly into the glow, consumed by the trance she was in.

 _You're evolving…_ Kristine 'spoke'.

 _You have released my potential,_ the voice responded. _You will make a great trainer, and I will be at your service always._

Kristine suddenly snapped out of her trance. She fell backwards on her butt, and she slid away from the glow, covering her eyes.

The glow evaporated a moment later. Eevee became Espeon, the psychic variant of the so-called eeveelution.

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted elegantly, facing Kristine.

Kristine looked at Espeon. She had smooth light purple fur, dark purple eyes, large ears, and two tails, with the second one branching off near the tip of the first.

"Espeon…" Kristine said. "The book was right. The right conditions and our bond and Eevee's personality…"

"It worked," Jason seemed very impressed. "Congratulations, sis."

"She communicated with me…" Kristine was in shock.

"Espeon!" Espeon smiled.

Jason pulled out his pokedex to examine Espeon.

"Espeon, the sun pokemon," the pokedex explained. "And the evolved form of Eevee. Espeon is extremely loyal to any trainer it considers to be worthy. It is said that this pokémon developed its precognitive powers to protect its trainer from harm."

Jason then walked over to help Kristine up.

Bran then approached the twins. "Wow," he spoke. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Kristine still seemed to be deep in thought.

"I'll leave you two be," Bran acknowledged. "Maybe we'll battle again someday."

"Looking forward to it," Jason said. Bran then departed further down Route 103.

"Kristine, are you okay?" Jason asked.

"I think I might need to rest," Kristine replied. "That took the energy right out of me." She then recalled Espeon. "I'm proud of you, girl."

"Okay," Jason had Kristine wrap her arm over his shoulder. "Let's get you back to the pokemon lodge.

A short while later, the two got back to the pokemon lodge on the north side of Cheron Forest. Kristine decided to use a computer terminal in one of the guest rooms to contact Bradley.

A few seconds later, Bradley appeared on the screen, using his handheld device to communicate with Kristine. "Hey, kid," he said. "What's up?"

"Hey," Kristine replied. "My Eevee evolved into Espeon."

"Did she now?" Bradley seemed intrigued. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Kristine smiled. It was obvious to Bradley that she was exhausted.

"So what happened?" Bradley asked.

"I entered another trance as Eevee evolved," Kristine explained. "This time she communicated with me intelligently, but only as she was evolving."

"I see. When did the evolution happen?"

"About an hour ago. Maybe hour and a half. We were battling, Eevee against Bulbasaur. Eevee won, and we were both so happy. That was when she evolved."

"Sunny day, strong bond, psychic tendencies…" Bradley noted. "I'll write these down and show it to my boss. Hey, you gonna stick round for a bit?"

"I think so," Kristine replied. "I think we're calling it a day already."

"Okay. We're gonna stop by the lodge and say hi, so see you in a bit."

Before Kristine could reply, the comm was cut off.

"Okay…?" Kristine was confused. She got up, and left the room to find Jason out in the hallway.

"Bradley, Don, and Summer are on their way over," Kristine addressed.

"I guess they want to check out Espeon for themselves?" Jason asked.

Kristine shrugged. "I dunno."

"Here we are!" Bradley said as he appeared all of a sudden in front of Jason and Kristine.

"That was quick," Kristine seemed surprised. "You were right outside, weren't you?"

"Yep," Bradley nodded. "Let's step outside for a bit."

Bradley led the twins outside the pokemon lodge, where Don and Summer were waiting.

"So, the both of you evolved your Eevee," Summer acknowledged.

"Let's see them!" Don added.

"Uh, okay," Jason complied. "Come on out, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon greeted as he jumped out of the pokeball.

"You too, Espeon!" Kristine threw her pokeball.

"Espeon!" Espeon elegantly greeted.

"So, the kids did evolve their eevee," Summer confirmed.

"Jolteon evolved from a thunderstone that Ralts happened to find," Bradley added. "Pure coincidence or a foresight? Who knows?"

"And Espeon evolved from the right conditions," Don said.

"So," Bradley stepped forward. "You're one step closer to fighting Aria. Kristine, I would like to have a rematch with you, three on three this time."

Kristine also stepped forward. "I'm ready."

"Wait now," Don spoke up. "We can't forget about the boy twin now, can we?"

"How about you battle him, Don?" Summer suggested.

"Deal!" Don accepted. "Jason, how about you battle me three on three right here, right now?"

"It's on!" Jason was up to the challenge.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Then I take it we will have our battle after these two, then," Bradley gave a nod and stepped aside.

"Sounds good to me," Kristine also stepped aside. "I'm looking forward to seeing Jason's pokemon in action. I haven't truly seen him battle, yet."

"I'm ready to put Jolteon, Taillow, and Ralts to the test!" Jason spoke with confidence.

"Don't forget you are also putting yourself to the test," Bradley responded with wisdom. "Part of being a trainer is being able to bond with your pokemon through battle. Pokemon love sport, and there's nothing better than pokemon and trainer alike working together."

"You sound like someone from Team Tranquility," Summer rolled her eyes.

"Yet I speak the truth," Bradley continued.

"And yet you do," Don gave a nod. "Okay Jason, you ready?"

"Sure am!" Jason said, with Jolteon at his side.

Kristine and Bradley stood to Jason's right towards the center of the field. Summer stood on the left side.

"I'll be the referee," Summer declared.

"Remember," Don continued. "If you beat me, you have what it takes to challenge Aria. If you don't, you still have some work to do to understand the fundamentals."

"I know my basics very well," Jason said. "I'll give it my best."

Don smirked. "That's good to hear, Jason. Now, the gym leader will always send out their pokemon first. So I'll go first."

Don pulled out a pokeball that was attached to his belt. "Go, Swablu!"

"Swabluuuu!" a small bird was summoned. It was rounded and light blue, and had wings in the shape of fluffy clouds.

"A swablu!" Kristine was mesmerized by the cuteness of Swablu. She pulled out her pokedex to examine the creature.

"Swablu, the cotton bird pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Swablu has light and fluffy wings that are like cottony clouds. This pokémon is not frightened of people. It lands on the heads of people and sits there like a cotton-fluff hat."

"So Jason," Don spoke. "Who will be your first choice?"

Jason knew that Swablu is a normal and flying hybrid, which meant that Jolteon, being an electric type, would have a natural advantage, except that Thunder Wave is the only electric move he knows. Still, he wanted a strong start, and believed that Jolteon would give him just that.

Jason and Jolteon looked at each other. Jolteon wanted to go out there.

Jason gave a nod and then faced Don. "Jolteon, let's go!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon leaped forward.

"Swablu!" Swablu gave a bow.

"Jolteon, eh?" Don replied. "Does he know any electric moves yet?"

"I guess you'll have to find out," Jason smirked.

"That's what I wanna hear!" Don seemed impressed. "You make the first move!"

"Jolteon, Headbutt!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon ran at full speed towards Swablu, keeping his head forward.

"Swablu, dodge and use Peck!" Don responded.

Swablu flew up in the air to avoid Jolteon's Headbutt. It then swooped down with a glowing beak.

"Thunder Wave!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon hunched forward and projected a thunderous wave towards Swablu.

"Safeguard!" Don quickly gave the order.

Swablu halted in mid air and projected a rounded barrier in front of itself. The thunder wave emitted from Jolteon smashed into the barrier as it was completely deflected.

"Safeguard?" Jason observed.

"Safeguard protects Swablu from status-changing abilities like Thunder Wave!" Don replied. "Now Swablu, Sing!"

Jason knew the ability Sing. The user would emit a mesmerizing sound that would attempt to put their opponent to sleep.

"Jolteon, Swift, now!" Jason yelled.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon emitted a swift of stars projected at Swablu, before it could start singing.

"Get out of there!" Don commanded. But it was too late; Swablu was struck by star after star as it crashed down.

"Hang in there, Swablu!" Don said.

"Swablu!" Swablu hopped back up.

"Jolteon, Thunder Wave!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon quickly projected another thunder wave at Swablu. This time, Swablu was unable to defend it. It became consumed by electricity as it struggled to move.

"Swablu, return!" Don recalled it.

"Wait, can he do that?" Kristine asked Bradley.

Bradley nodded. "It's a strategic and tactical move, as you'll find out in a little bit. In official battles, trainers do this all the time for many reasons."

"I see," Kristine acknowledged.

"Your Jolteon is fast, very fast," Don seemed impressed. "I'm gonna change it up. All out offensive! Go Elekid!"

"Elekid!" the electric pokemon was summoned, crossing its arms. Its body was in the shape of a large egg with slender arms and legs, and the prongs on its head were in the shape of an electrical inlet. It was dark yellow in color and had black stripes.

"Jolteon, Swift!" Jason continued the attack.

"Dodge and use Swift yourself!" Don commanded.

Elekid jumped out of the way to avoid Jolteon's Swift, and used its arms to fire off a volley of stars aimed at Jolteon.

"Double Team!" Jason ordered.

Jolteon projected multiple images of itself, but it proved to be futile. The stars struck all of the copies, including Jolteon itself. Still, Jolteon endured the hit.

"Ah ha, rookie mistake!" Don pointed out. "Unless you get way out of the way, a Double Team isn't going to protect you from Swift!"

"I see," Jason took note, and continued his assault. "Close in for a Head Butt!"

Jolteon charged head-on once more.

"Dodge and use Low Kick!" Don commanded.

As Jolteon charged on, Elekid jumped in the air.

"Swift! Now!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon shifted to Elekid's direction and fired a volley of stars. The stars struck before Elekid was able to make its kick. It fell hard to the ground, slow to get up.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Jolteon's speed is incredible," Don admired. "It's the perfect evolution for your Eevee."

"I think Jolteon would agree to that!" Jason took it as a compliment.

Jolteon nodded in agreement.

"Elekid, Quick Attack!" Don ordered.

Elekid charged at Jolteon with stunning speed.

"Thunder Wave!" Jason responded.

Jolteon projected a thunderous wave at Elekid, but nothing happened. Elekid's struck Jolteon with Quick Attack as he slid back a few meters.

"Another rookie move," Don pointed out. "Elekid is an electric type! He's immune to electric-inducing paralysis! Now Elekid, swift!"

Elekid projected another Swift.

"You too, Jolteon!" Jason yelled.

Both Swift attacks collided against each other.

"Double Team!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon projected multiple images of himself, using his own Swift as coverage.

"What is he doing?" Don muttered to himself.

"Flank Elekid with a Headbutt!" Jason commanded.

"Elekid, watch out!" Don cautioned.

As Elekid was scanning for an incoming assault amidst the mirage of Jolteon, the real Jolteon blindsided him, striking his left side. This knocked Elekid right to the floor with the wind kicked out of him.

"Critical hit," Bradley noted.

"Good move, Jason!" Kristine cheered for her brother.

"Now use Swift!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon fired a concentrated swift of stars at Elekid. The huge barrage struck him, as he was unable to defend himself. As the smoke cleared, it became apparent that Elekid was unable to continue.

"Elekid is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Jolteon is the winner!"

"Jolt jolt!" Jolteon cheered.

"Atta boy, Jolteon!" Jason raised his fist in the air.

Don recalled Elekid. "You tried, Elekid," he spoke. "We'll get you faster. I promise."

He then faced Jason. "Impressive. Very impressive. All right, Vulpix, let's go!"

"Vulpix!" Vulpix greeted with elegance.

"Vulpix was one of my dad's pokemon," Kristine told Bradley. "Well, she's Ninetails now. She's being taken care of by a good friend of our family."

Jason knew of Vulpix as the fox pokemon. It was red in color, and had the iconic six fluffy, curled tails. Vulpix is a mysterious fire-type pokemon, a perfect pokemon for a member of Team Mystic to have, Jason thought.

"Okay Jolteon, you ready?" Jason asked.

Jolteon nodded confidently. "Jolt!"

"Okay. Use Swift!"

"Vulpix, use Ember to clear Swift!" Don spoke.

Vulpix spat out a ball of flame that incinerated the swift of stars.

"Headbutt!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon charged at Vulpix.

"Vulpix, use Fire Spin!" Don commanded.

Vulpix fired a stream of flames at surrounded Jolteon, stopping him in his tracks. The flames enveloped him.

"Jolt!" Jolteon was hurt by the burning flames.

"Fire Spin is going to give Jolteon a hard time," Kristine observed.

"Jolteon, Thunder Wave!" Jason ordered.

Jolteon managed to fire off Thunder Wave as he was taking damage, striking Vulpix as he was unable to move.

"Hang in there and use Confuse Ray!" Don yelled.

Vulpix's eyes turned purple as she looked onwards at Jolteon. Jolteon's eyes also turned purple. As a result, he was dazed, losing awareness of the situation.

"Jolteon, stay focused!" Jason remained motivating. "Fight through it!"

Jolteon swayed left and right, still consumed by Fire Spin.

"Keep up Fire Spin!" Don ordered.

Ten seconds later, Vulpix's Fire Spin ended. As the flames cleared, Jolteon was flat on the floor, unable to continue.

"Jolteon is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Vulpix wins!"

Jason recalled Jolteon. "You did great, buddy," he said. "You got Don to use all three of his pokemon, and you took out Elekid."

"You hang in there, Vulpix," Don encouraged his pokemon, who was suffering through paralysis.

"Ralts, let's go!" Jason summoned his newest pokemon.

"Ralts!" Ralts stepped forward.

"I heard about the Ralts who helped you and Jolteon fight off the gastly," Don mentioned. "Okay Vulpix, get ready!"

"Ralts, use Teleport and then Confuse!" Jason commanded.

Suddenly, Ralts disappeared right in front of Vulpix.

"Vulpix, careful!" Don warned.

Vulpix tried to be alert, but he was unable to move from paralysis. Ralts appeared right behind him and raised her hands. Vulpix's eyes turned purple as Ralts tossed him into the air, crashing back down.

Vulpix was able to get back up and shake it off.

"Good going, Vulpix!" Don was relieved. "Use Ember!"

"Double Team, Ralts!" Jason yelled.

Ralts projected multiple images of herself. Vulpix's Ember burned right through two of them.

"Your Ralts knows Double Team, too?" Don seemed puzzled.

"Yep," Jason nodded. "I had Jolteon teach it to her."

"Awesome!" Don replied. "Vulpix, Fire Spin to get rid of the double team!"

Vulpix unleashed a stream of flames from left to right, burning away the false copies of Ralts.

"Ralts, Disarming Voice!" Jason commanded.

Ralts inhaled and let out a shrieking voice. "Raaaaaaaaaalllllllllllttttttttssssss!" A beam of purple hearts emitted from her mouth, directed right at Vulpix.

Wave after wave of purple hearts consumed Vulpix. The shrieking voice was too much; he had to stop using Fire Spin.

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!" Don yelled.

Vulpix was quick enough to charge and strike Ralts. Ralts slid backwards, enduring the assault.

"Confuse one more time!" Jason followed up.

Once again, Vulpix's eyes turned purple. She was tossed into the air and slammed back down. This time, she did not get up.

"Vulpix is unable to battle!" Summer raised her hand towards Jason's side of the field. "Ralts is the winner!"

"Ralts!" Ralts smiled.

"Vulpix, return!" Don recalled Vulpix. "You did good out there."

Don then faced Jason. "Let's see how well you close! Come back out, Swablu!"

"Swablu!" Swablu greeted once more.

Jason noticed that Swablu was active and mobile. "Wait, I thought Swablu was paralyzed."

"Swablu's special ability is Natural Cure," Don explained. "Status effects expire immediately when Swablu is recalled."

"Swablu!" Swablu flew into the air.

"Dive down!" Don commanded.

Swablu flew down at Ralts, still waiting for further orders.

"Ralts, Confusion!" Jason yelled.

Ralts waved her arms at Swablu.

"Swablu, Safeguard!" Don anticipated Jason's attack.

Swablu covered herself with a barrier, and while he endured the damage, she remained unscathed from the after effects.

"Now, Fury Attack!" Don continued.

"Double Team!" Jason responded.

As Ralts projected multiple images of herself, Swablu dove down with a glowing beak and rapidly struck at the images.

"Teleport out of there!" Jason yelled.

By then, Swablu rapidly took out all projections.

"Disarming Voice!" Jason followed up.

Wave after wave of screeching purple hearts struck Swablu from behind. Swablu looked damaged, and she was slow to get up.

"I have to take a risk," Don muttered. "Let's hope this works. Swablu, Sing!"

Swablu sang her name with such elegance, and Ralts felt drowsy. Ralts then tilted her head forward, falling asleep.

"I think it worked!" Don cheered. "Okay, Swablu, let's –"

Suddenly, Swablu also fell drowsy. She crashed to the ground, falling asleep.

"No, your Ralts had Synchronize!" Don covered his face with his hands. "And I can't switch Swablu out!"

Jason smirked. "Return Ralts!" he recalled her. "You did great. Now rest well."

He pulled out his third pokeball. "Go, Taillow! let's end this!"

"Taillow!" Taillow greeted, flapping in the air.

"Wing Attack on Swablu!" Jason commanded.

Taillow dove down with glowing wings, striking Swablu hard and fast. She struck Swablu hard, sending her tumbling right next to Don. She was unable to get up.

"Swablu is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Taillow wins! Which means that Jason is the winner!"

"Yes!" Jason cheered. Taillow flew right on his shoulder.

"Good job closing it out, buddy!" Jason said.

"Taillow!" Taillow nodded.

"Return, Swablu!" Don recalled her. "Good job out there."

Don then approached Jason. "Well, you beat me 3-1. Not bad, if I say so myself. Not bad at all."

Jason recalled Taillow, and faced Don. "Thank you for the battle," he said. "I learned a lot from it."

"Always a pleasure," Don gave a nod. "Just don't forget the intermediate fundamentals, and you'll do fine against Aria. Remember; she's more powerful than I am, so be ready."

"We'll give it our best," Jason acknowledged.

Kristine approached Jason. "You did great," she said to him.

"Thanks," Jason smiled. "I think you'll do great out there."

Kristine smiled back. She faced Bradley. "Let's try this again, shall we?"

Bradley nodded. "I'd like to see how much you've improved since last time."

Bradley took Don's side of the field as Kristine took to Jason's side of the field.

"So, just like with Don and Jason, I'll send out my pokemon first," Bradley stated. "Go, Staryu!"

"Yu!" Staryu appeared. The bronze colored pokemon in the appearance of a starfish stood there with confidence. It had a red shiny core at the center that served all of its sensory purposes.

"Bradley had a staryu?" Jason pulled out his pokedex. It was rare to see a staryu deep inland within the Inventum region.

"Staryu, the star shape Pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Staryu apparently communicates with the stars in the night sky by flashing the red core at the center of its body. If parts of its body are torn, this pokémon simply regenerates the missing pieces and limbs."

"So who will be your first pokemon?" Bradley asked.

Kristine smirked. She pulled out a pokeball, and tossed it forward. "Showtime, Pikachu!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu bounced forward.

"Pikachu, eh?" Bradley replied. "It's a good matchup against Staryu. Let's see how you do."

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Kristine commanded.

"Chuuuu!" Pikachu unleashed a Lightning Bolt at Staryu.

"Light Screen!" Bradley responded.

A silver barrier appeared before Staryu as it embraced Thunder Shock. Still, an electric attack is super effective against a water type like Staryu.

"Go in for a Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

"Pika pika pika!" Pikachu charged at Staryu, effectively knocking it back.

Staryu appeared like it took considerable damage right off the bat.

"What's Bradley doing?" Jason asked Don. "Staryu's just sitting there and taking damage."

Don smirked. "You'll see."

"Staryu, recover!" Bradley commanded.

A yellow glow consumed Staryu. It quickly recovered from the damage that it took.

"Staryu is able to remove the damage that it took by using Recover," Don explained. "But he can only use it in a timely manner; Staryu can't recover all the damage that it took when it's very fatigued."

"Yu!" Staryu is back in action.

"Pikachu, quick, Electro Ball!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu emitted an electric ball from the top of his tail and slung it towards Staryu.

"Dodge and use Rapid Spin!" Don responded.

Staryu quickly jumped out of the way from electro ball and spun itself rapidly. In a boomerang fashion, it spun right at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Double Team!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika!" Pikachu created images of itself.

"Did Jolteon teach Pikachu Double Team as well?" Don asked.

Jason simply nodded.

Staryu's boomerang assault knocked right through all of the false copies of Pikachu, eventually striking Pikachu himself. Pikachu was knocked right to the floor.

"Pikachu!" Kristine yelled.

"Pika!" Pikachu slowly got up.

Staryu spun itself back to where it was before.

"Rapid Spin is a handy move," Bradley explained. "Defensively, it can get Staryu out of a lot of sticky situations, and offensively, it can foil any ruse you may have implemented. And, Staryu's special ability is Analytical. It can track any fast moving Pokemon such as Pikachu and expose its weakpoints. That just means Staryu's attacks are stronger if it can connect right after its opponent makes a move."

Just as Bradley thought he had the upper hand, Staryu became paralyzed. That's where Bradley cried a little bit on the inside.

"And Pikachu's special ability is Static…" he sighed.

"Pikachu, go on the attack and use Electro Ball!" Kristine followed up.

Once more, Pikachu threw out an electric ball aimed at Staryu.

"Water Gun!" Bradley was desperate to combat the powerful attack.

Staryu stood there and unleashed a water blast from its red core. It met Electro Ball head on, but was completely vaporized. The ball then struck Staryu, knocking it back. Staryu's Light Screen was perhaps the only reason why the star shape pokemon remained standing.

"Staryu, Recover!" Bradley quickly spoke.

Staryu attempted to use Recover, but it became too overwhelmed by paralysis.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu made a direct connect at Staryu, knocking it back. It was unable to get up.

"Staryu is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Pikachu is the winner!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.

Bradley recalled Staryu. "Good job," he said. "It was my fault you lost, not yours."

Pikachu caught his breath as Kristine decided to keep him on the field.

"Okay, Growlithe, your turn!" Bradley called out Growlithe.

"Growlithe!" Growlithe stepped forward and growled at Pikachu menacingly.

Pikachu took two steps backwards.

"Growlithe's Intimidate…" Kristine noted. She turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!" she commanded.

"Chuuuu!" Pikachu emitted electric energy projected at Growlithe.

"Growlithe, Ember!" Bradley commanded.

Growlithe shot out a ball of flame, combating Thunder Shock. Both moves canceled eachother out. An explosion occurred in the middle, but both Pikachu and Growlithe jumped to the left and right, respectively.

"Growlithe, now use Leer!" Bradley followed up.

Growlithe glared at Pikachu, exposing his weaknesses.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu charged at Growlithe.

"Dodge and Ember again!" Bradley responded.

Growlithe jumped out of the way from Pikachu's Quick Attack, and shot out another ball of flame.

"Double Team!" Kristine ordered.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of itself. Growlithe's ember took out one of the copies.

"Odor Sleuth!" Bradley ordered.

Growlithe heightened his senses, singling out Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Pikachu attacked from the side, but Growlithe was well aware.

"Ember one more time!" Bradley yelled.

Growlithe shot out a ball of flame that struck Pikachu in mid-air. The impact knocked him to the ground.

"Ember again, let's go!" Bradley continued the assault.

Pikachu had a hard time getting up. Once he did, he was struck again by another Ember. He fell back down, and this time, he did not get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Summer stated. "Growlithe wins!"

"Return, Pikachu," Kristine recalled him. "Great work out there. You took down Staryu and worked down Growlithe. We'll take it from here."

Kristine faced Bradley and Growlithe, and pulled out a second pokeball. "Fletchling, showtime!"

"Fletch!" Fletchling appeared.

"A rematch," Bradley smirked. "Remember Growlithe, watch out for the speed!"

"Fletchling, use Agility!" Kristine initiated.

Fletchling took to the sky and flew at lightning fast speed all around Growlithe.

"Growlithe, use your senses and use Odor Sleuth," Bradley calmly spoke.

"Fletchling, Peck!" Kristine commanded.

As Growlithe got a sense of Fletchling, it was apparent that he was already struck by Peck. The attack was so fast that no one had a clear visual on Fletchling.

"Just stay focused on him," Bradley continued. "Fletchling is stronger than last time, but just stay focused."

"Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

"Face Fletchling and use Ember!" Bradley commanded.

Growlithe faced Fletchling's direction, and fired a ball of flame. However, Fletchling hit him hard with Quick Attack. Fletchling also tumbled from the air after being hit by Ember.

"Good, you slowed him down!" Bradley spoke. "Now jump up and Bite!"

"Fletchling, Peck!" Kristine quickly issued.

Fletchling got a hold of himself and struck at Growlithe first. Growlithe fell back to the ground.

"Let's finish this with Tackle!" Kristine spoke with determination.

Fletchling dove straight at Growlithe, effectively striking at his side with a hard Tackle. Growlithe rolled over twice before falling on his stomach, unable to get up.

"Growlithe is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Fletchling is the winner!"

"Come back, Growlithe," Bradley recalled him. "Good job, buddy."

He then looked at Kristine. "You and your pokemon grew vastly since we last battled," he spoke with admiration. "Now, let's see how well you can finish a battle! Go, Bagon!"

"Bagon! Bagon!" Bagon roared as he was summoned.

"Return, Fletchling," Kristine recalled her pokemon. "You did excellent, buddy!"

She then faced Bradley with a a determined look. "Espeon's going to want a shot at Bagon."

"And I'm sure Bagon's up to the challenge!" Bradley replied.

Bagon agreed.

"Espeon, showtime!" Kristine threw her last pokeball.

"Espeon!" Espeon came out with grace.

Kristine examined her pokedex for Espeon's current abilities. It was just a couple hours ago that Espeon evolved, after all.

"I'll give you a second considering that Espeon just evolved," Bradley remained a good sport. "Then you get the first attack."

"I see…" Kristine muttered to herself. She then got a good idea of Espeon's abilities. "Okay," she gave Bradley a heads up. "Espeon, Quick Attack!"

Espeon charged at Bagon with speed.

"Bagon, dodge and use Ember!" Bradley responded.

Bagon jumped out of the way and shot out a ball of flame at Espeon.

"Sand Attack!" Kristine quickly responded. Espeon, rather than kicking up dirt, rose it up through telekinesis. The dirt covered the flame, consuming it.

"Now Espeon, use Calm Mind!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon sat there. Her eyes turned purple, as she remained collected and focused.

"Calm Mind increases both special attack and special defense," Jason mentioned. "It's a very good psychic power up."

"Bagon, close in with bite!" Bradley issued.

"Bagon!" Bagon charged at Espeon.

"Now use Confusion!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon's eyes remained purple. Suddenly, Bagon floated into the air as his eyes turned purple. Espeon then tossed him right over her through telekinesis, where Bagon slammed back to the ground.

After Bagon got up, he was disoriented and confused.

"Oh no!" Bradley yelled, knowing that Espeon had the upper hand.

Bagon threw his arms, attempting to strike at Espeon though she was nowhere nearby.

"Bagon Bagon!" Bagon then threw himself into a fit of rage.

"No!" Bradley knew he entered a crisis. Bagon just used Rage in the middle of being disoriented by Espeon's Confusion. That meant that for the rest of the battle, Bagon would not be listening to Bradley, even if he snapped out of the state of confusion.

Bagon then charged towards Espeon.

"Espeon, dodge and use Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon stepped aside from Bagon's onslaught and struck his side with quick attack. Bagon then flailed his arms at Espeon. She successfully jumped back.

"Confusion!" Kristine smirked.

Bagon was tossed into the air once more and flown back, where he crashed down. Bagon still got up and threw his arms around.

"Quick Attack one more time!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon charged at Bagon, striking him in the back. Bagon fell down, unable to get up.

"Bagon is unable to battle!" Summer raised her hand to Kristine's side. "Bradley is out of pokemon! Kristine is the winner!"

"We did it!" Kristine cheered. She then recalled Espeon. "Good job, girl. You did exceptionally well."

Bradley recalled Bagon. "Much tougher opponent this time, huh?" he said. "You did well out there." He then faced Kristine with dignity. "You and Jason are fit to challenge Aria," he declared. "But like Don said, she is far stronger than either of us. There's a reason why she's the Gym Leader of Fort Lexing, after all.

"Fort Lexing's just a few days away," Summer said. "I suggest that the both of you practice, and practice hard. We have showcase tournaments that we host every few days as well, so maybe you can enter one of them before your battle."

"Granted, they're small, untelevised ones," Bradley added. "We get eight people on a good day. But they're to help trainers get better at battling."

"Sounds good to me," Jason replied.

"I think we're interested in that," Kristine added.

"We're out," Don spoke as he and his companions departed. "We'll be in town when you challenge Aria. I'll be sitting in the front row."

"Thanks for everything guys!" Kristine waved as Jason did the same.

"Sure thing!" Bradley waved back. "Go get that Mystic Badge, okay?"

Bradley, Summer, and Don departed onto the road. Jason and Kristine remained at the pokemon lodge for one more night. After some training the next morning, the two headed out onto Route 103, with reaching Fort Lexing as their top priority.

* * *

 **If you've read up to this point, please leave a review or PM me what you think overall. If you like it, that's great!**

 **Since our heroes are gaining and training pokemon, I'll give an update on their rosters and moves each chapter, or at least when an update or refresher is necessary.**

 **Progress so far:**

 **Jason:**

 **Jolteon - Thunder Wave, Double Team, Headbutt, Swift; Special Ability: Volt Absorb**

 **Taillow** **\- Wing Attack, Quick Attack, Peck, Focus Energy; Special Ability: Guts**

 **Ralts - Teleport, Confusion, Double Team, Disarming Voice; Special Ability: Synchronize**

 **Kristine:**

 **Espeon - Confusion, Sand Attack, Calm Mind, Quick Attack; Special Ability: Magic Bounce**

 **Fletchling - Tackle, Quick Attack, Peck, Agility; Special Ability: Gale Wings**

 **Pikachu - Thunder Shock, Electro Ball, Quick Attack, Double Team; Special Ability: Static**


	8. An Insignificantly Significant Challenge

"There it is!" Jason pointed out as he and Kristine ventured upon a hill overlooking Fort Lexing's skyline. "We're finally here!"

"Fort Lexing…" Kristine spoke as she stood beside Jason. "And it felt like months since we started."

"Can't you imagine that it's only been two and a half weeks?" Jason added.

"And we've barely started," Kristine mentioned. "Let's get to the pokemon center. I need to get my brace checked out."

The twins ventured down the road leading into Fort Lexing. It was a relatively small city, at least in comparison to other cities throughout Inventum. Half a dozen buildings stood at over twenty stories tall, surrounded by smaller buildings, while apartment complexes and residential areas made out the outskirts of the city. Hills covered the nearby landscapes, backed by distant mountains to the far north and south.

Once inside the city, the twins headed into the nearby pokemon center, which was two stories tall. There, they stayed for the night. Before they went to bed, they made a call to their mother back in Mountain Spring.

"Hi Mom!" Kristine spoke as soon as Veronica accepted the video call from the other end. Jason was standing right behind Kristine.

"Hi Kristine, hi Jason!" Veronica replied with a smile. "I see you've already made it to Fort Lexing."

"Yep!" Jason replied. "We each have three pokemon!"

"And our eevee evolved!" Kristine added. "I got Espeon, and Jason got Jolteon!"

"Wow, congratulations!" Veronica was happy for her kids. "Which Pokemon do you have so far, Kristine?"

"Pikachu and Fletchling," Kristine said.

"And you, Jason?" Veronica asked.

"Taillow and Ralts," Jason said.

"Sounds like the both of you have a strong team," Veronica complimented. "Your father would be very proud of the both of you, never forget that."

"We won't," Jason assured her.

"Right, we won't," Kristine added. "We've had quite the adventure just getting to Fort Lexing."

"I can imagine," Veronica chuckled. "Your adventure is just getting started. Just remember to take things one step at a time. You can dream, but you won't achieve those dreams without first accomplishing what is in front of you. Your first gym battle is around the corner, isn't it?"

The twins simply nodded.

"Badges are rite of passages for trainers worldwide," Veronica continued. "Focus on getting the Mystic Badge. That is when you officially get a foothold within the Inventum League."

"Got it," Kristine acknowledged.

"Now I both love you very much," Veronica said. "Continue to do your best out there. You've made me proud so far. Stay safe, and look out for one another."

"We will, Mom," Jason gave a nod.

"We love you too," Kristine added.

"We'll talk again when you win the Mystic Badge," Veronica smiled. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Jason and Kristine said at the same time.

Veronica then closed the video comm.

"Now it's time to call Wall," Kristine said. She then hit the button to establish video comms with Wall.

Wall appeared on the screen seconds later. "Well, if it isn't the Kyar twins," he acknowledged. "How are you holding up?"

"We're doing great, Wall," Kristine replied. "We just arrived at Fort Lexing."

"Well done," Wall complimented. "It's been not quite three weeks, has it? Well done to the both of you."

"Thank you," Jason gave a nod.

"Being a trainer is never easy," Wall continued. "It takes courage and dedication to get through the toughest of circumstances. I heard Kristine took a bad spill on day one.

"I still have the brace on my foot," Kristine replied. "I was able to walk for the most part, and I've been running the past several days. I think I'll get it taken off tomorrow."

"Good," Wall acknowledged. "Be aware of the real dangers. The very sad truth is that trainers can get killed out there. It's quite rare, because trainers often know the risks that surround them and they have pokemon protecting them, but it happens.

"But the both of you seem smart, capable individuals. And you have each other. The path to Fort Lexing is only the very beginning of your journey across Inventum. Aria will test your determination to be a pokemon trainer. Defeating her will open many doors to your careers."

"We'll do our best," Jason spoke with confidence.

"You'll make this little town very proud soon enough," Wall said. "I'll be signing off. Good evening."

"Bye!" Jason and Kristine said at the same time.

* * *

Wall disconnected the comm. He then got up and walked out to the main lab.

"Was that the twins?" his assistant asked.

"Yes," Wall nodded. "They made it to Fort Lexing. I called three weeks if they were lucky. They made it in eighteen days."

"Most impressive," the assistant noted.

"They seemed much more mature than they were when they were here," Wall continued. "I think we have two prodigies in our hands."

* * *

The next morning, the twins got prepared and headed out to the lobby of the pokemon center. That was when Nurse Joy took Kristine to one of the patient rooms.

Nurse Joy had Kristine sit on a patient bed and gently removed the brace. She then examined her foot.

"How does it feel?" Nurse Joy asked.

Kristine moved her foot around. "I don't feel any pain," she replied.

"It looks like you made a full recovery," Nurse Joy smiled. "You won't be needing the cast anymore."

"Awesome!" Kristine seemed relieved. She then put her sock and shoe back on. "Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy!"

"You're welcome," Nurse Joy gave a bow.

Kristine trotted out of the room and into the lobby, where Jason was waiting. She showed off her braceless foot to Jason.

"I bet that feels much better, now," Jason pointed out.

"Yep!" Kristine replied. "Shall we head out?"

Just then, Amanda entered the pokemon center.

"Oh, hey guys!" she noticed Jason and Kristine. "And Kristine, you're up and running on both feet!"

"Yep!" Kristine replied. "In fact, I just had the brace taken off a minute ago."

"Well, congratulations!" Amanda smiled. "Hey, they're hosting a showcase tournament today. I dunno if you guys are interested, but they are looking for more people."

"A Team Mystic showcase?" Jason asked.

Amanda nodded.

"I remember Bradley and the others were mentioning that to us the other day," Kristine mentioned. "I think we'll check it out."

"Sounds good to me!" Jason agreed.

"It's over at the Mystic Gym," Amanda added. "The more people, the better. It also helps us practice for our gym battles."

"We'll be there," Jason replied.

"I'll see you there," Amanda continued. "I suppose I may be battling one of you soon enough? Don't forget, they may pit the two of you against each other as well. Anyways, I need to make sure my pokemon are all okay to compete. See ya!"

As Amanda left the lobby, Kristine and Jason looked at each other.

"We've practiced with each other, but not actually battled," Kristine came to that realization.

Jason pondered that for a moment. "We'll see what happens."

"I suppose."

The twins left the pokemon center and headed deeper into the city center. After walking through the business sector where the tallest buildings were and men and women in business suits were walking about, the two came across the small entertainment district.

Like with many cities across Inventum, if not the world, the entertainment district had arcades, restaurants, clubs, and venues for amateur pokemon contests of many kinds.

"So this is what a city looks like," Kristine looked around. "There's so much going on. I love it!"

"I dunno," Jason also observed the buildings and neon lights around him. "I like the country. It just feels overwhelming."

"I think you'll grow into it," Kristine smiled. "Besides, Fort Lexing is small in comparison to many cities in Inventum."

"There's larger cities than this?" Jason looked at Kristine as if he was surprised.

"Well, yeah," Kristine simply replied. "The handbook says so."

"I guess I do have to grow into it," Jason said.

"Oh, come on," Kristine gave a quick pat on his shoulder. "It's not so bad. At least they have entertainment to help you have fun here."

"Okay, at least they have arcades here," Jason loosened up. "But let's focus on this tournament first and then get our Mystic Badge. Then we can check out the city."

"Deal!"

Moments later, the two walked up to the Fort Lexing Gym at the heart of the city. Ever since Team Mystic was granted responsibility over the gym, the gym itself is commonly referred to as the Mystic Gym, and it is the Inventum Regional Headquarters for the group who seeks to understand the mysteries and hidden potentials of pokemon.

The Gym itself was dome shaped, and three stories tall. The exterior was mainly covered in glass, supported by reinforced steel. The twins walked right up to the entrance of the gym, only to see a flyer taped to the window next to the sliding doors.

"Showcase Tournament today," Kristine read. "All aspiring trainers are welcome to join. General rules are bracketed one-v-one with no repeat picks."

She turned to Jason. "What do they mean by that?"

Jason shrugged. "It doesn't sound familiar."

"It means you can't use the same pokemon more than once," the twins heard a voice behind them. Jason turned around to see it was the same boy who defeated him with a chimchar back near Spring Hamlet.

"Alex?" Jason noticed.

"Hmmph, you're quite nosy for knowing my name," Alex spoke. "Don't suppose you're going to enter this tournament?"

"Sure am," Jason replied, confident. "And you?"

Alex smirked and pulled out a badge case from his satchel. He then opened it up for Jason and Kristine to see. They could both see the shiny conjoining azure wings that is the Mystic Badge.

"You have the Mystic Badge?" Jason said. "But how?"

"It's called research," Alex replied, speaking bluntly. "And having options. I took my three best matchups against Aria and won."

"Three best?" Kristine asked.

"I have a full team," Alex crossed his arms. "Wait, neither of you have a full team?"

"Like, a full team of six?" Jason wanted clarification.

"Yes, a full –" Alex then decided not to explain out of frustration over whom he thought was a dunce. "Whatever. I'm out."

He then began to depart.

"So you're not joining the tournament?" Kristine asked.

"It's for people who haven't challenged Aria yet," Alex replied without turning around. "Besides, it's an insignificant tournament for amateurs. You two can go have fun playing trainer. I'm going to the Tranquility Gym."

Alex then left out of earshot of Jason and Kristine.

"Considering the experience involved, I would say it's insignificantly significant," Kristine remained upbeat.

"That guy has a chip on his shoulder for some reason," Jason seemed irked by Alex's attitude.

"Come now," Kristine tried to cheer him up. "Let's head on inside and sign up!"

The two walked through the sliding doors into the gym's atrium. The floors were pristine white with blue lines streaking down the edges. In front of them was a life-sized replica of an articuno, Team Mystic's sigil, hanging from above.

"Some say that Team Mystic's leader has an articuno herself," Kristine mentioned.

"Only a handful of people in the world have legendary pokemon," Jason replied. "Well, I guess it's possible. But even then, they're banned from tournaments."

"Let's just say that good thing she's in Kalos and not here," Kristine chuckled.

Jason chuckled back. "True."

The two ventured underneath the replica and into the battle floor. In front of them was a table with two Mystic members behind it.

"Two more trainers interested in the tournament?" one female member asked. She had short pink hair with gentle streaks of blue. "That'll make entries seven and eight. That's pretty decent."

"Yep," Jason replied.

"Go ahead and put your names here," the male member, who was bald, replied. He nudged the sign up sheet forward.

Jason and Kristine approached the table and both put their names on the sheet.

"Great," the female member seemed satisfied of the turnout. "We're going to start in a little bit."

"So you both have the last name," the man observed.

"Yep!" Kristine confirmed. "We're twins."

"Twins, eh?" the woman seemed intrigued. "I think Bradley mentioned something about twins with evolved eevee or something."

"That's us," Jason replied.

"Awesome!" the man replied with enthusiasm. "Well, we look forward to seeing you battle."

A short while later, the trainers who had previously signed up trickled into the arena. Jason noticed that Julian signed up as well, seeing him entering the battle floor.

"Hey Julian!" Jason greeted.

"Hey bud," Julian replied. "So, you and your sis are in the tournament too?"

"Yep," Jason nodded.

"Cool," Julian said. "As much as I want to see the both of you battle each other, I want to win."

"So I guess we'll see each other in the second round, huh?" Jason crossed his arms with a smirk on his face.

"We'll see about that," Julian snickered at the comment.

"Okay, listen up!" the man from Team Mystic addressed the eight trainers who stood before him. "We have the brackets all set up! The rules are one-v-one only with no repeat picks. That means you cannot use the same pokemon more than once if you advance. Play strategically and take some time to come up with your first round picks. Our first battle will begin shortly between…" the man then looked at the paper. "Eline Powers and Jason Kyar."

Kristine walked up to Jason. "You're up first."

"I wonder who I should pick," Jason said. "I have a strong team, but Jolteon is the strongest."

"Jolteon forced Don to reveal his entire team," Kristine mentioned.

"Yeah," Jason gave a nod. "And if I was a better trainer, he would have aced Don's team. Okay. I think I know who I'm going to pick first."

"Very well," Kristine acknowledged. "See you in the finals!"

A woman with black skin and long dark hair took to the battle floor. Jason assumed that was Eline.

"Good luck, bro," Kristine patted Jason's shoulder with encouragement.

Jason stepped forward into the field as Kristine and everyone else sat down at the nearby bleachers.

The woman stepped onto the referee's box, towards the sideline at the center of the field. "The first match is Jason against Eline," she addressed. "Only one pokemon is allowed in the fight. On three, throw your pokeballs at the same time. Ready?"

"Ready," Eline spoke confidently.

"Ready," Jason gave a nod.

"One," the woman counted. "Two…Three!"

Jason and Eline threw their pokeballs at the same time.

"Taillow, let's go!" Jason spoke.

"Natu, it's all you!" Eline shouted.

"A flying type battle," Kristine overheard Amanda say. "This should be interesting."

Kristine pulled out her pokedex to examine Natu.

"Natu, the tiny bird pokemon," the pokedex began to explain the green, round creature. "Natu cannot fly because its wings are not yet fully grown. If your eyes meet with this pokémon's eyes, it will stare back intently at you. But if you move even slightly, it will hop away to safety."

"Natu cannot fly," Kristine spoke.

"But it's a psychic-flying hybrid," Julian mentioned. "It probably knows Teleport."

"The battle is between Taillow and Natu," the woman announced. "Begin!"

"Taillow, Quick Attack!" Jason commanded.

"Natu, teleport!" Eline responded.

As Taillow took off from the ground and closed in on Natu, Natu quickly vanished.

"Natu, Leer!" Eline followed up.

Taillow turned around only to see that Natu pierced into her soul with a mesmerizing stare.

"Quick Attack!" Eline commanded.

"Get out of there!" Jason yelled.

Taillow narrowly dodged Natu's Quick Attack as she flew straight up in the air.

"Focus Energy!" Jason commanded.

Taillow focused her energy and pumped herself up, ready to take down Natu.

"Now dive down and Peck!" Jason followed up.

Taillow's beak glowed as she dove down towards Natu.

"Natu, Teleport!" Eline commanded.

Once again, Natu vanished as Taillow pulled up at the last second.

"Fly back up once more!" Jason commanded.

"Peck!" Eline yelled.

Natu bounced high from nowhere, but barely managed to clip Taillow as she flew back up.

"Quick Attack before Natu lands!" Jason commanded.

Taillow looped back downwards and managed to strike Natu hard with a Quick Attack. Natu fell back to the ground.

"Wing attack!" Jason followed up.

Taillow's wings glowed as she continued her onslaught. Before Natu was able to get up, Taillow struck it with such force that Natu was knocked way back.

"Natu!" Eline gasped.

"Woah," Julian muttered. "That was a critical hit if I've ever seen one."

"Taillow hit Natu very hard," Amanda observed.

"Jason's been training with Taillow a lot," Kristine added.

"It shows," Amanda acknowledged.

Natu was unable to get up after the powerful Wing Attack. Just like that, it was down after two hits.

"Natu is unable to battle!" the woman declared. "Taillow wins, which means Jason advances!"

"Return, Natu," Eline recalled her pokemon. "We'll get better."

She then faced Jason. "You and Taillow are strong," she said. "I guess I have a lot more training to do."

"It was a good battle," Jason replied. Taillow then flew on top of his shoulder.

"Great job, Taillow!" Jason complimented.

"Taillow!" Taillow gave a nod.

Jason then recalled her.

"Next up," the woman said. "Amanda versus Alay."

Jason left the field as Amanda took position on his side. He then sat next to Kristine on the front row bleachers.

"You and Taillow did great," Kristine said.

"Thanks," Jason replied. "Hey, who do you plan to use in the first round?"

Kristine grinned, and whispered into Jason's ear.

"I see," Jason seemed intrigued.

The twins saw that Amanda had used a starly, another avian pokemon, in the battle and managed to defeat the opponent's oddish, a grass type pokemon. Julian was up next, and managed to win with a pidgey, who faced a spearow.

"So the fourth matchup…" the man from Team Mystic announced when it was time for the last match of the first round. He looked at the sheet before him. "Will be between Kristine and John."

"Showtime," Kristine said as she got up and left the bleachers. Another boy with light brown hair did the same.

Kristine took to the same side of the field Jason was on. Her opponent, John, took to his side and faced her with a sly smirk.

"This pokemon has fought six battles and never lost!" John boasted.

"Cool, my pokemon has never lost, either," Kristine cleverly replied on technically correct terms.

"On three," the woman from Team Mystic started the count. "One. Two. Three!"

Both Kristine and John summoned their pokemon at the same time.

"Fletchling, showtime!" Kristine yelled.

"Aipom, continue the streak!" John shouted.

Taillow hopped before the long-tail Pokemon that is Aipom.

"Ee ooh ooh ee ee!" Aipom greeted, balancing itself on its tail.

"To the sky, Fletchling!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchling flew into the air.

"Agility!" Kristine followed up.

Fletchling flew at amazing speeds all around the floor.

"Sure, your pokemon is fast," John shrugged it off. "But you can't win if –"

"Fletchling, Peck!" Kristine abruptly commanded.

Fletchling dove down and struck Aipom with its glowing beak before flying up.

"Ee ee!" Aipom got off its tail and stood on its feet, poised to strike back at Fletchling.

"Aipom, jump up and strike Fletchling with Fury Swipes!" John commanded.

Aipom used its tail to propel itself into the air, ready to strike at Fletchling.

"Quick Attack!" Kristine yelled.

Fletchling dove at Aipom and struck it in the stomach with quick attack. Aipom fell back down to the ground.

"No! Aipom!" John became nervous. His supposed streak was on the line.

"Fletchling, finish this with Tackle!" Kristine followed up.

Fletchling descended upon Aipom and struck it with a head on collision. This knocked Aipom back as it tumbled over three times. It was unable to get back up.

Jason could hear oohs and ahhs from everyone in the bleachers. Two more people from Team Mystic showed up to spectate.

"Aipom is unable to battle!" the woman declared. "Fletchling wins!"

"Our streak…" John looked down as he recalled Aipom.

"Great job, Fletchling!" Kristine cheered before she recalled Fletchling. She then left the floor.

"So the first round is out of the way with flying types winning all the way around," the man noted. "The second round is underway and we have…Jason and Amanda!"

Jason got up as Kristine walked back. The two approached each other, and both of them raised their hands for a high five. They didn't need to say anything else; both of them passed the first round with flying colors, and they were in position to face each other in the final round. Nothing was going to stop them from doing so; not even their new rivals.

Jason took to his side of the field as Amanda approached the opposite end.

"Your taillow was fast as it was powerful," Amanda complimented.

"As was your starly," Jason replied.

"Let's see what happens here, eh?" Amanda drew her pokeball.

"On three," the woman said. "One. Two. Three!"

"Ralts, let's go!" Jason threw his pokeball.

"Alright, Ledyba!" Amanda threw hers.

"Ralts!" Ralts greeted.

"Ledyba!" Ledyba quckly spun around. It largely resembled a ladybug.

Kristine used her pokedex to examine Ledyba.

"Ledyba, the five star pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Ledyba secretes an aromatic fluid from where its legs join its body. This fluid is used for communicating with others. This pokémon conveys its feelings to others by altering the fluid's scent."

"She must've gotten Ledyba in Cheron Forest," Kristine muttered to herself.

"Ledyba, let's use Supersonic!" Amanda ordered right off the bat.

"Supersonic?" Kristine seemed puzzled. "But Ralts…"

"Ralts what?" Julian asked.

"Oh, you'll see."

Ledyba projected an ultrasound screech directed at Ralts. Ralts became enveloped by the screech and lost focus of its senses, rendering it dazed and confused. That was when Ledyba exhibited the same reactions.

"What's going on?" Amanda seemed confused.

"Ralts' special ability is Synchronize," Jason explained. "Any status effects you inflict on her will be redirected back. It's a psychic pokemon thing."

"Ugh…" Amanda felt embarrassed to make a move like that. "Ledyba, snap out of it!"

"Stay calm, Ralts!" Jason yelled.

He saw that Ralts continued to frantically look all around her, not sure what to do next.

"Stay calm," Jason spoke softly and quietly. He knew Ralts couldn't hear him from that far away.

But a moment later, Ralts became calm. She faced Ledyba, fully aware and in control of her senses.

"Confusion!" Jason commanded.

Suddenly, Ledyba's eyes turned purple and she was tossed into the air before slamming back onto the ground.

"Ledyba, come on!" Amanda tried to encourage her.

"Ledy – Ledy – Ledy!" Ledyba became paranoid. She could not listen to Amanda at all.

"Disarming Voice!" Jason followed up.

Ralts let out a deafening roar directed at Ledyba. The sound wave in the shape of hearts consumed Ledyba, knocking her back to the ground.

"Ledy…ba!" Ledyba snapped out of her confusion, and sprung back up. But she looked fatigued.

"Just hang in there, Ledyba!" Amanda yelled. "Get back in there and use Comet Punch!"

Ledyba flew at Ralts with her front fists at the ready.

"Ralts, Teleport!" Jason commanded.

Ralts vanished in front of Ledyba.

"Confusion!" Jason followed up.

"Light Screen!" Amanda quickly issued.

Ledyba turned around to face Ralts and projected a magical screen in front of her. She was largely able to resist Ralts' Confusion. The attack seemed to be blocked by the screen as it reflected in colors resembling the rainbow.

"Now use Tackle!" Amanda followed up.

"Double Team!" Jason responded.

Ralts projected multiple copies of herself. Ledyba flew right through one of the copies.

"Comet Punch!" Amanda commanded.

Ledyba punched repeatedly through copy after copy.

"Disarming Voice! Give it all you got!" Jason yelled with energy and determination.

Ralts projected another loud screech. Ledyba became so overwhelmed she was flown backwards as she tumbled over and over again.

"No!" Amanda gasped. "Ledyba!"

Ledyba finally stopped, but she was unable to get up.

"Ledyba is unable to battle!" the woman declared. "Ralts is the winner!"

Ralts took an elegant bow before Ledyba, who was unable to move.

"Return, Ledyba," Amanda recalled her. "Good job out there."

She then faced Jason. "At least you showed me I still need to improve," she said. "But next time…" she pointed at him with a determined smile.

"It was a good battle," Jason remained humble. "You tried to mount a comeback."

"I suppose," Amanda gave a nod. "I'd still love to challenge you or your sister to a three on three sometime."

"I look forward to it," Jason said with confidence.

"Next up, we have Kristine and Julian," the man announced.

Kristine approached Jason and gave him another high five before taking the former side of the field.

"I do apologize, Kristine," Julian said as he approached the opposite end.

"For what?" Kristine asked.

Julian grew a smirk. "Jason's not yours to beat in the final round. As much as I like to see the both of you battle it out, I want to win!"

"Then bring it on!" Kristine accepted the challenge.

"One," the woman said. "Two. Three!"

"Pikachu, showtime!" Kristine yelled.

"Standby, Pancham!" Julian threw his pokeball.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu hopped forward.

"Pancham!" the small panda-like pokemon stepped forward, looking determined.

"Pancham, huh?" Jason used his pokedex on Pancham.

"Pancham, the playful pokemon," the pokedex explained. "It does its best to be taken seriously by its enemies, but its glare is not sufficiently intimidating. Chewing on a leaf is its trademark."

"Pancham!" Pancham crossed his arms while chewing on the end of a leaf at the corner of his mouth.

"Begin!" the woman signaled.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

"Pancham, dodge!" Julian responded.

Pikachu charged right at Pancham, but Pancham jumped out of the way at the last second.

"Karate Chop!" Julian followed up.

"Pan-cham!" Pancham struck down on Pikachu. Pikachu hit the floor hard, taking a direct hit, but was quickly able to get up.

Kristine noticed that Pancham didn't become paralyzed from Pikachu's Static. But then she quickly realized that Static was not a constant effect. "Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!"

"Pika-chuuuuu!" Pikachu shot lightning right at Pancham, and made impact.

The hit damaged Pancham, but he stood strong, pretending that the thunder shock didn't even hurt.

"Pancham, use Leer!" Julian commanded.

Pancham glared right at Pikachu.

"Work Up!" Julian followed up.

Pancham flexed his muscles and jumped up and down, getting himself pumped up against Pikachu.

"Work Up raises both attack and defense," Jason noted.

"Pikachu, hang back and use Electro Ball!" Kristine issued.

"Pika!" Pikachu hurled an electric ball from its tail, directed right at Pancham.

"Dodge and go in for Comet Punch!" Julian went on the offensive.

The pumped up Pancham narrowly escaped from Pikachu's Electro Ball and charged right at him.

"Double Team!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of itself. Pancham quickly moved in and punched through the copies one by one. By then, Pikachu had jumped out of the way.

"Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Pikachu quickly struck Pancham on the side a second later.

"Jump back and Thunder Shock!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu hopped backwards and emitted a stream of electricity towards Pancham.

"Dodge it!" Julian yelled.

Pancham sidestepped to avoid Thunder Shock. The bolt simply whizzed by him. Everyone gasped in awe over the stylish move. Pancham just stood there, chewing on his leaf.

"Nice, now Karate Chop!" Julian followed up.

 _Pancham is just going to keep dodging,_ Kristine thought to herself. _Pikachu's going to be worked down if this keeps up._

"Quick Attack one more time!" Kristine ordered.

Pikachu charged at Pancham once more. The two collided, both taking direct hits from the other's attack. Pancham fell back to the floor, while Pikachu tumbled and was slow to get up.

The battle seemed to be anyone's for the taking until static electricity pulsed around Pancham. He was paralyzed, unable to move efficiently.

"Pancham!" Julian noticed what had happened. "Work Up, now!"

Pancham pumped himself up once more.

"Pikachu, use everything you got and use Electro Ball!" Kristine yelled.

"Pika-chuuuuuuuuuu!" Pikachu hurled a big ball of electricity.

"Get out of there, Pancham!" Julian commanded.

"Pan!" Pancham struggled to move. As he did, he fell on one knee. He looked at Electro Ball with fierce bravery, and bit hard on his leaf. With his head held high, he was directly hit. The ball knocked him far back, several feet away from Julian. He was unable to get up.

"Pancham is unable to battle!" the woman declared. "Pikachu wins!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"Return, Pancham," Julian recalled him. "Good work, buddy. Good work."

"Great job, Pikachu!" Kristine cheered with her Pokemon, and then recalled him. "Come on back, now."

"That was close," Julian said with a sense of dignity. "Great job, Kristine."

"You fought hard," Kristine smiled. "You had me on my toes for a minute there."

"It was anyone's game until Pikachu's Static went off," Julian added. "That was fun. I look forward to fighting you and Jason in the future."

"Same here," Kristine gave a nod.

Julian left the floor. As he did, Jason got off the bleacher and approached Julian's side.

"Eevee against Eevee, huh?" Julian said as he passed by Jason.

Jason smirked. "You'll see."

This intrigued Julian. He began to speculate if both eevee have evolved already.

"And the final battle," the man announced. "Kristine versus Jason. Winner has bragging rights, some camping supplies, even though this kinda benefits both trainers since they're twins and traveling together, and a neat looking ribbon you can pin on your hat or shirt or whatever."

Kristine stood there as Jason entered the opposite field. They talked about fighting against each other. They figured that was going to happen at some point in their journeys. But the realization kicked in. Both twins looked ahead and saw each other. Their heart rates kicked up. They were doing incredibly well these past few days against other trainers, and now, they're going against each other.

This no longer became a little tournament for amateurs. This became a battle between twins, between best friends. And suddenly, they became rivals. Neither twin truly realized that until now.

Jason stood there and faced Kristine. He came to that realization. And he was looking forward to battle his sister. "Are you ready, sis?" he asked, his eyes burning with determination.

Kristine accepted the challenge. She pulled her pokeball from her belt. She faced him with the same spark. "Ready as always."

"Then let's dance." Jason pulled out his pokeball.

"Okay, on three," the woman announced. "One –"

The twins threw their pokeballs without paying attention to the woman's countdown.

"Jolteon, let's go!" Jason yelled.

"Espeon, showtime!" Kristine yelled at the same time.

Jolteon and Espeon were projected out onto the floor, and they took cautious steps towards one another.

"Woah," the man seemed shocked to see that the twins each had an evolved form of eevee.

By then, this caught the eyes of more Mystic members. Several more trotted in to speculate Jason and Kristine's battle.

"Jolteon…" Julian muttered, surprised.

"And Espeon…" Amanda replied, taken back.

"Okay then," the woman took one step back. "Begin!"

"Jolteon, Thunder Wave!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon projected a thunderous wave at Espeon. Espeon was consumed by paralysis right off the bat.

"Espeon!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon remained calm as electric currents rippled throughout her body. She simply sat there. Then, her eyes turned moonlight white. It was an attempt to pass the status effect to Jolteon using Magic Bounce, a special ability very similar to Synchronize. In this case, nothing happened; Jolteon was immune to electric-inducing paralysis.

"Jolteon, charge in with Headbutt!" Jason followed up.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon rushed at Espeon with his head tilted towards her.

"Espeon, use Confusion!" Kristine commanded.

"Espeon," Espeon's eyes turned purple. Suddenly, so did Jolteon's. Espeon used telekinesis to flick Jolteon backwards through. He tumbled to the ground before jumping back up on all four feet.

"Swift!" Jason ordered.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon fired a volley of energetic stars at Espeon.

"Dodge, Espeon!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon was unable to move due to paralysis. Jolteon's swift directly hit her as each star exploded on impact, but she stood strong on four legs.

 _Espeon can't move much as long as she's paralyzed,_ Kristine thought. _If she throws Jolteon back with Confusion again, he may try to Double Team to cancel it out._

 _If Kristine calls Espeon to use Confusion on Headbutt again, I'll call Jolteon to Double Team,_ Jason thought.

"Jolteon, Headbutt!" Jason issued.

Jolteon charged at Espeon once more.

 _That's it!_ Kristine had an idea. "Espeon, Sand Attack!"

Espeon didn't need to move to use Sand Attack. She used telepathic energy to project dirt up into the air and flung it right at Jolteon.

"Jolt!" Jolteon was caught off guard, and his attack was faltered as he landed.

"Double Team!" Jason called, taking precautionary measures.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself, scattered throughout a 180 degree arc in front of Espeon.

"Espeon, Calm Mind." Kristine remained on the defensive.

Espeon's eyes glowed white once more. Her mind became calm as her alertness rose.

"Hey!" one of the boys from the tournament yelled, and the twins overheard him. "It's Aria!"

Kristine glanced briefly to her right and Jason to his left to see that the Mystic Gym Leader was approaching the bleachers.

"Keep using Calm Mind," Kristine commanded. "Force Jolteon to come to you."

"Espeon," Espeon seemed to be in a trance as she sat down.

"Calm Mind will just make her stronger," Jason noted. "Jolteon, use Swift!"

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon revealed himself and fired a swift of stars at Espeon.

Kristine knew Espeon was going to take the damage, but she got Jason to reveal Jolteon. "Espeon, Confusion!"

"Espeon," Espeon's eyes shifted from white to purple. Jolteon's eyes turned purple once more as he was tossed straight into the air, then slammed back down.

Meanwhile, Espeon took hit after hit from Swift.

"Jolt…" Jolteon looked like he took considerable damage.

"Espeon," Espeon stood on her four legs, but she also looked like she took damage.

"Espeon, you can move, I know you can!" Kristine encouraged her Pokemon.

"Stay in there, Jolteon!" Jason did the same to his. "You can get through this. She's tough, but you can do this!"

"The winner of this battle will face me tomorrow morning!" Aria declared. The twins looked right at her. She had short blonde hair, extending just to the bottom of her neck, and appeared to be in her early 30s. She wore a blue jacket with white outlines and plain white capris.

The twins then looked directly at each other. They both wanted to win really badly.

"Calm Mind one more time," Kristine commanded. "We're in the final stretch!"

"Espeon," Espeon's eyes turned white.

"Jolteon, all or nothing! Jason yelled. "Headbutt!"

"This is it, Espeon!" Kristine yelled. "Quick Attack!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon charged head-on.

"Espeon!" Espeon managed to move through her paralysis, and leaped towards Jolteon in hopes of striking him first.

"Jolt!" Jolteon closed in.

"Espeon!" Espeon powered herself to attack Jolteon.

The two collided with such force that both of them slammed back to the ground. They both struck each other's chests with direct hits.

Some spectators stood right up. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, wondering who would get up.

To everyone's surprise, both Espeon and Jolteon got up, though they struggled to do so. They each had battle marks across their bodies. They were worn out, and neither one of them wanted to give in, yet they were beyond fatigued.

Suddenly, Jolteon fell back to the ground. He could not get back up.

"Jolteon is unable to battle!" the woman from Team Mystic declared. "Espeon is the winner!"

"Yes yes yes!" Kristine jumped for joy. Espeon limped her way back to her.

"I guess being patient and using Calm Mind made all the difference," Jason muttered to himself. "That single Confusion earlier tipped the tide." He closed his eyes briefly and smiled. "Return, Jolteon," he recalled him. "You did great out there. Get some rest."

"Get a good rest, Espeon," Kristine recalled her. "You deserve it!"

Jason then approached Kristine, stepping out onto the field. Kristine did the same.

"You did great, Kristine," Jason faced his sister with dignity. "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" Kristine smiled. "So did you, Jason. The battle could've gone either way."

"Your use of non-attacking moves was great," Jason complimented.

"I knew you were going to be relentless," Kristine replied. "It seems to be your fighting style. You had me worried the entire battle."

"Knowing that you're trying the perfect the art of non-combat tactics, I knew it was going to be tough to get at Espeon," Jason added. "But mark my words, sis. Next time, I'll win!"

Kristine chuckled. "We'll see about that, bro."

Aria approached the twins.

"Bravo," Aria clapped her hands. "Well done, both of you! You have demonstrated your connection with pokemon and your ability to battle as legitimate trainers! Brad, Summ, and Don told me all about you. Jason and Kristine, right?"

"Yep," Kristine and Jason spoke and nodded at the same time.

"Name's Aria," Aria introduced herself. "And I am the leader of the Inventum Mystic Chapter, as well as the Gym Leader of Fort Lexing. My duty as Gym Leader is to test trainers who desire to enter the Inventum Cup. I won't lie to you; less than ten percent of trainers who participate in the Inventum League ever make it to even a single Cup. Cups are held annually, and it usually takes two years on average to obtain the twelve badges necessary to compete.

"You two are ready for your first challenge," she continued. "You have enough practice and discipline to challenge me, and I can already tell that the both of you are incredibly talented. Be warned; I will not go easy on you. I will test your patience and your versatility. Most importantly, I will test your determination to be the very best out there. Our passions are what drive us. Our passions help discover the mysteries that are not only around us, but also within us.

"Now," Aria faced Kristine. "I will face you tomorrow at ten o'clock sharp. Be prepared."

Kristine nodded with a determined look. "I will."

Aria faced Jason. "You fought admirably," she commended. "I will face you next, after your sister. Sometime in the afternoon, perhaps. We'll see how the first battle goes. Nonetheless, be prepared.

"I will, Aria," Jason gave a nod.

"Good," Aria acknowledged before stepping away. "Do your homework, and get a good night's sleep. See you tomorrow!"

As Aria departed the floor, the twins looked at each other.

"Let's get back to the pokemon center and relax," Kristine suggested.

"Agreed," Jason replied. "Aria told us to do some homework. We should do just that."

The twins walked out of the Mystic Gym with their heads held high. They came out as the two top trainers of a small tournament of aspiring contestants, and were personally greeted by Aria herself. They knew that taking her down is no short order; they had their work cut out for them.


	9. Mystic Battle! Part I

**Progress as of this chapter:**

 **Jason:**

 **Jolteon: Swift, Headbutt, Double Team, Thunder Wave. Special Ability: Volt Absorb**

 **Taillow: Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Peck, Focus Energy. Special Ability: Guts**

 **Ralts: Confusion, Disarming Voice, Teleport, Double Team. Special Ability: Synchronize**

 **Kristine:**

 **Espeon: Confusion, Quick Attack, Calm Mind, Sand Attack. Special Ability: Magic Bounce**

 **Fletchling: Tackle, Peck, Quick Attack, Agility. Special Ability: Gale Wings**

 **Pikachu: Thunder Shock, Electro Ball, Quick Attack, Double Team. Special Ability: Static**

* * *

"So Aria used to be a water pokemon trainer," Kristine noted. She and Jason sat side by side before a computer terminal in their room within the pokemon center. "She's noted for winning water pokemon contests across Inventum and Unova."

"Get this," Jason read further into the article. "She has a gyarados."

"Gyarados?" Kristine seemed intrigued, if not intimidated. "If you can train a gyarados, you can train anyone."

"I always wanted a gyarados since I was little," Jason added. "Aria's going to be very tough to beat, especially since she has a gyarados."

"She has a lot of pokemon," Kristine continued reading. "Starmie, Dewgong, Golduck. But remember, she won't just be using water pokemon. She joined Team Mystic seven years ago after retiring from being a water pokemon trainer. We should see what she's been using lately.

Kristine then quickly researched another article relevant to Aria as a Gym Leader.

"Wow…" Kristine read through the article. "So she's been using Wobbuffet as a gatekeeper in her matches, and he can sometimes take out all three pokemon."

"But how?" Jason leaned in to read the article.

Kristine pulled out her pokedex and researched Wobbuffet.

"Wobbuffet, the patient pokemon," the Pokedex explained. "Wobbuffet does nothing but endure attacks—it won't attack on its own. However, it won't endure an attack on its tail. When that happens, the pokémon will try to take the foe with it using Destiny Bond."

"Destiny Bond…" Jason muttered.

"If Wobbuffet uses Destiny Bond and goes down, the opposing pokemon goes down with it," Kristine said. "We need to be really careful."

"Okay," Jason replied. "We get past Wobbuffet. What next?"

"She had rotated between a sligoo and a vibrava for a while," Kristine replied. "But since her dratini evolved just three weeks ago, she started using her. Dragonair is quite powerful herself."

"And the last Pokemon?"

"Vaporeon. It says here that her dad gave her an eevee on her 15th birthday, and it helped inspire her to become a water trainer. On her 16th birthday, her dad gave her a water stone to achieve her dreams. Vaporeon has been registered in 100% of Aria's gym battles since she took over as Gym Leader last year."

"We're going up against a well accomplished trainer with a pokemon she had for at least fifteen years," Jason added.

"Jason," Kristine faced her brother, nervous. "We've been trainers for three weeks. How can we possibly beat Aria? She's won many contests and trained so many pokemon."

"I don't think we should look at probabilities," Jason replied. "If there's a will, there's a way. There's a way to beat Aria. You just have to find the answer. You need to believe that you and your pokemon can win this, and you have a chance."

"Right…" Kristine knew Jason was right. "Well, I'm up first in the morning. I should get some shuteye."

"Me too," Jason said. "You're going to do fine out there."

"Yeah," Kristine gave a nod. "I just need the confidence that you have."

"Kristine," Jason spoke clearly. "You defeated me earlier today. You convinced Fletchling and Pikachu to join your cause. You're an amazing trainer. Just show that to Aria tomorrow."

Kristine blushed. "Thanks Jason. I'm happy to have you as my brother."

"Don't mention it," Jason felt flattered. "You have a good night."

Jason and Kristine tried to get a good night's rest. But they both couldn't help but remain anxiously excited for what's to come. Jason stared at the ceiling for a while in the middle of the night before drifting back to sleep, while Kristine was on her side with her eyes closed, yet trying to get back to sleep. Both wanted to get their first gym battles over with. And the fear of one twin losing while the other winning came to mind. To Jason and Kristine, tomorrow would determine if they have what it takes to become a pokemon master.

* * *

The next morning, the two came into the Mystic Gym fully prepared. Kristine had her green and white ball cap on with her ponytail extending out the back. She would be going up first, and she needed to assert herself in the attitude that she would win today.

"I got this," she said to herself. "I proved that I can challenge Aria, so I can do this."

The two walked into the battle floor, where more than a dozen members of Team Mystic were watching on.

"So do I just approach the field?" Kristine asked Jason.

Jason shrugged. "I dunno, and I haven't seen Aria."

"I guess I'll just approach the field," Kristine took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

Jason took to the bleachers while Kristine approached the field. A moment later, Aria emerges from the entrance on the other side of the battle floor.

"Kristine Kyar of Mountain Spring," Aria spoke, approaching the field. "The extranet doesn't have much about you, not yet anyways, only a nice little local article of a pair of twins becoming trainers."

"Someone actually wrote about us?" Jason asked, curious.

"Just your local post," Aria replied. "Part of official pokemon battles is to research your opponent, so you can have a clear idea on who you will be facing." She then turned back to Kristine. "So, what have you learned about me? Have you done your homework?"

"You used to be a water pokemon trainer," Kristine replied. "You're well decorated, and have trained many Pokemon."

"I guess you can say that," Aria chuckled. "I've done a lot of adventuring in my teens and early 20s before becoming a member of Team Mystic. Have you researched my recent history as Gym Leader?"

"Yes," Kristine spoke.

Aria seemed impressed. "Do you know what pokemon I will be using today?"

Kristine gave a determined look and nodded.

"Then without any more small talk, let's battle!" Aria challenged.

A woman approached the referee's box on the side of the center of the field. It was Summer herself, volunteering to monitor the battle. "On my left is Aria, the Gym Leader of Fort Lexing's Pokemon Gym and the Team Mystic Leader of the Inventum Chapter," she introduced Aria. "On my right is the challenger Kristine Kyar of Mountain Spring. If Kristine wins today's match, she will receive the Mystic Badge, one of twelve official badges required to enter the Inventum Cup.

"This battle will be the Pokemon League standard rule set of a three on three battle. Both sides are allowed to make substitutions in the middle of battle. The Gym Leader will announce her first Pokemon, while the challenger makes the first move.

"Gym Leader, are you ready?" Summer faced Aria.

"As always," Aria nodded.

The woman faced Kristine. "Kristine, are you ready?"

Kristine took a deep breath. "I am," she spoke with confidence.

"Then the battle may begin!" Summer declared.

"Okay, Dragonair, you're up first!" Aria summoned.

An elegant serpent-like creature jumped out of the pokeball. Dragonair's skin was dark blue with a white underbelly. She had a smooth, rounded snout with a small white horn on the top of its head. Her violet eyes gleamed with beauty, dazzling even Kristine.

"She went with Dragonair first," Jason muttered, and pulled out his pokedex.

"Dragonair, the dragon pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Dragonair stores an enormous amount of energy inside its body. It is said to alter weather conditions in its vicinity by discharging energy from its crystals on its neck and tail."

"Dragonair…" Kristine muttered. She then faced Aria. "Okay. Fletchling, showtime!"

"Fletchling!" Fletchling bounced forward after he was summoned.

"You make the first move, Kristine," Aria reminded.

"Fletchling, take to the sky and use Agility!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchling dove straight into the air and swooped around the floor at lightning-fast speeds.

"Dragonair, use Twister!" Aria responded.

Dragonair projected a wind vortex from the orb on her next, and projected it facing horizontally towards Fletchling.

"Fletchling, dodge it!" Kristine yelled.

The mouth of the vortex became wider as it approached Fletchling. Fletchling was unable to fully dodge it as he got sucked into the vortex's influence. He spun around before managing to escape by bolting right through the side.

"Thunder Wave!" Aria continued.

Dragonair stopped using Twister, and emitted Thunder Wave from her orb.

"Fletchling, dive down and Peck!" Kristine commanded. She knew she couldn't afford Fletchling to become paralyzed.

Fletchling dove downwards to narrowly avoid the thunderous wave that flew right over him. With a glowing beak, he struck at Dragonair's face.

The startled dragon serpent took a direct hit as Fletchling flew past her.

"Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!" Aria issued.

Dragonair projected an orb of energy that Kristine thought looked like the sun. She then hurled it at Fletchling.

"Fletchling, use Agility one more time!" Kristine responded.

Fletchling dashed all across the floor, dodging the energy ball that fizzled in midair.

"Quick Attack!" Kristine ordered.

Fletchling made another run at Dragonair, this time striking at the side of her neck. She tried to keep track of Fletchling's movements.

"Stay calm, Dragonair!" Aria said.

"Dive down and use Peck one more time!" Kristine commanded.

Aria saw her moment and aimed to seize it. "Face upwards and use Twister!"

By the time Dragonair looked up and projected Twister from her orb, Fletchling was already at her face with a glowing beak. While Fletchling struck Dragonair, it was unable to escape Dragonair's Twister. In fact, Fletchling was consumed by it, unable to move.

"We have him where we want him!" Aria declared. "Dragonair, Wrap!"

Dragonair wrapped her chest around the tiny robin, with her eyes staring at his.

"Fletch!" Fletchling was getting squeezed hard.

"Don't let him resist! Thunder Wave!" Aria followed up.

Dragonair's orb projected a thunderous wave that Fletchling could not avoid. He became paralyzed, succumbing to the overwhelming Wrap.

Kristine knew she was in trouble. "Fletchling!"

"Dragonair, let's finish this with Dragon Rage!" Aria commanded.

A ball of energy emitted from Dragonair's orb, and engulfed Fletchling with it. Dragonair then let go when the ball exploded. As the smoke cleared, Fletchling was on the floor with his wings spread out, unable to get up.

"Fletchling is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Dragonair wins!"

Dragonair remained in a coil, appearing to be fatigued from battling with Fletchling.

"Return, Fletchling," Kristine recalled him. "Thank you. You did good out there."

Kristine knew she was in a hole. She was down to just Pikachu and Espeon, while Aria still had three pokemon. She knew she had to take down Dragonair quickly to get back into the game.

"Pikachu, showtime!" Kristine threw her second pokeball.

"Pika!" Pikachu bounced forward.

"Let's use Thunder Shock!" Kristine commanded.

Pikachu unleashed electric energy at Dragonair, making a direct connect. Dragonair simply remained still and took the hit.

"Electric attacks are not very effective against dragon pokemon," Aria explained. "Dragonair, use Twister!"

Dragonair projected yet another Twister from its orb, and directed it at Pikachu.

"Fire Electro Ball in there!" Kristine had an idea.

"Pika-chuuu!" Pikachu fired Electro Ball from his tail, directing it right into the vortex.

Pikachu's Electro Ball spun around and around. Pikachu then got sucked into the vortex's influence. The powerful Electro Ball swirled until it struck Dragonair. The vortex then faded, enabling Pikachu to move.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika Pika Pika!" Pikachu rushed in for a quick attack, and struck Dragonair's neck. She was knocked to the floor, but she managed to get up.

"Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!" Aria ordered.

Dragonair fired a draconic energy ball at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Double Team!" Kristine responded.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. The Dragon Rage rolled right through three copies before it fizzled.

"Twister one more time!" Aria issued.

Another vortex was fired, taking out Pikachu's copies left and right.

"Electro Ball!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu jumped into the air, well away from Dragonair's Twister. He managed to flank her right side as he hurled another Electro Ball from his tail. Dragonair could not dodge the second Electro Ball; she was struck directly and she crashed down to the ground hard. She did not get up.

"Dragonair is unable to battle!" Summer called. "Pikachu wins!"

Aria smirked, impressed by Kristine's ability to battle. "Return, Dragonair. Excellent work."

She then faced Kristine. "I know a capable trainer when they defeat even one of my pokemon. Now, let's see how you handle an unconventional battle. Go, Wobbuffet!"

Wobuffet was summoned out of his pokeball. He was the supposed gatekeeper against many challengers, and he was known for defeating all three of the challengers' pokemon on many occasions.

"Wob-bufffet!" the light blue creature stood tall on his four flat, stubbed legs. He gave a salute as a greeting with its flat, thin arms. And then, he just stood there.

"Wobbuffet, huh?" Kristine muttered. "Pikachu, maintain your distance, and use Thunder Shock!"

Aria stood with her side facing Kristine, and grew a opportunistic smirk on her face. "Mirror Coat!"

As the Thunder Shock struck Wobbuffet head on, he projected a white glow that outlined his entire body. He embraced Pikachu's attack, but also harnessed its energy. He then unleashed it back as a white beam of psychic energy.

Pikachu was struck hard as he fell on the floor and tumbled twice.

"Pikachu!" Kristine yelled. "Are you okay?"

"Pika…" Pikachu managed to get back up and shake off the damage done.

Kristine was relieved. Pikachu needs to win this, she thought. Otherwise, if Espeon comes out, Aria can just call for Destiny Bond and I'll lose.

Pikachu maintained his distance from Wobbuffet. He carefully paced on four legs, waiting for Kristine's next command.

Aria stood there with her arms crossed. She was putting Kristine to the test, stressing her ability to think creatively and critically in a situation like this.

If I attack Wobbuffet head on, Pikachu will be defeated, Kristine continued to assess the situation.

Kristine needs to continue the attack and get Aria to call Destiny Bond, Jason thought. Pikachu's gotta throw everything at Wobbuffet. Maybe Kristine will get lucky, and keep Pikachu against Vaporeon.

That's it! Kristine devised a strategy. I'll put up a ruse and fake a head on assault. Wobbuffet can't defend itself if its tail is attacked, which will force him off guard.

She faced Aria with a determined look. "Pikachu, Quick Attack! Standby for more commands!"

"Pika Pika Pika!" Pikachu charged at Wobbuffet head on.

"Get ready to use Counter!" Aria responded.

"Wob-buffet!" Wobbuffet saluted.

Pikachu closed in on Wobbuffet. He got to within ten feet of the patient Pokemon.

"Double Team!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. Wobbuffet stood before a 90 degree arc of Pikachu's copies, all in Quick Attack stance.

"Quick Attack on the tail!" Kristine ordered.

Pikachu emerged from directly behind Wobbuffet, striking his tail.

"WOBB!" Wobbuffet's face turned red. He took considerable damage from the attack and could do nothing about it. He rapidly turned around in an effort to strike back at Pikachu. Pikachu quickly jumped backwards.

"Wobbuffet's no longer in a defensive stance, Pikachu!" Kristine yelled. "Jump over him and use thunder shock on his tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped right over Wobbuffet, generating electricity for an attack.

"Chuuuuu!" Pikachu emitted an electric stream right at Wobbuffet's tail.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet reeled from the damage. Suddenly, he became paralyzed. Even if he wanted to protect his tail, he couldn't move.

"Move around him and use Electro Ball one more time!" Kristine wanted to finish this.

Pikachu ran around Wobbuffet and hurled Electro Ball from his tail. Aria knew Wobbuffet would not withstand another attack on his tail.

"Destiny Bond," Aria called.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet saluted. A purple mist surrounded his body just before Electro Ball struck his tail. Unable to withstand the powerful attack, Wobbuffet fell over.

"Wobbuffet is unable to battle!" Summer declared. "Pikachu wins!"

Kristine knew that was a technical victory, and not a literal victory. A purple mist surrounded Pikachu seconds later. He then fell to the floor, fatigued and unable to get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Summer announced.

"Return, Wobbuffet," Aria recalled him. "Get some rest."

"Return, Pikachu!" Kristine recalled him. "You did great, pal. Leave it to us, we're going to win!"

"You have a swift mind, Kristine," Aria commended. "But now it's down to a one on one battle. How well can you close out on a tight situation?"

"I guess we shall see," Kristine primed her last pokeball.

Aria smirked back. "Go, Vaporeon!"

She tossed her final pokeball, bringing out Vaporeon, the water evolution of eevee.

"Vaporeon," Vaporeon greeted with elegance. Unlike most eevee evolutions, Vaporeon had no fur, just a light blue, silky skin resembling that of an ocean-based mammal. It had a white ruff around its neck, and dark blue ridges across its back that extend to its tailfin.

"So that's Vaporeon," Jason muttered to himself.

"Espeon, showtime!" Kristine summoned Espeon.

"Espeon," Espeon bowed her head in grace.

"Your Espeon's just as regal as my Vaporeon," Aria spoke, standing directly towards Kristine. "You make the first move, Kristine."

Kristine knew this was a tall order for Espeon, to defeat Vaporeon. But if she could defeat Jason and his Jolteon, she knew she had a chance to defeat Aria and Vaporeon. It didn't matter anymore to her that Aria had Vaporeon for over fifteen years. It didn't matter that Vaporeon helped Aria win multiple battle and non-battle contests during the prime of her career. Aria and Vaporeon may have an unbreakable bond, but Kristine proved that the relationship between her and Espeon may be short, but strong all the same. The two enjoyed working together, and that's exactly what they needed to win this.

Kristine gave Aria a determined look. "You're right there with my brother as the most difficult trainer I've faced," she commended. "But I'm going to give it my all to the very end!"

She then faced Espeon. "Espeon, Calm Mind!"

"Espeon," Espeon's eyes glowed bright white.

This one is patient, Aria thought. She seems to have found her own style in battle, using tactics and non-attacking moves to work down the opponent before going on the offensive. Her use of Calm Mind is what won her battle against her brother and his jolteon. I have to maintain the initiative from her.

"Rain Dance, Vaporeon!" Aria called.

"Vaporeon!" Vaporeon's body glowed a bright blue. She summoned a rain cloud that covered the battlefield. Then, it started to rain, drenching both Aria and Kristine.

"Rain Dance," Kristine muttered. The battlefield darkened with the rain cloud above her.

"Rain Dance drastically increases the damage of water type moves," Jason mentioned. "If Kristine's not careful, Espeon can go down quickly."

"Quick Attack!" Aria followed up.

Kristine was getting ready to respond. But as Vaporeon began her assault, she seemed as if she was melting into the wind. This totally caught Kristine off guard.

Seconds later, Vaporeon rematerialized on Espeon's right flank and struck her side with Quick Attack. Espeon fell over but was quick to get back up.

"What kind of Quick Attack was that?" Kristine asked.

"Vaporeon's cells mimic water molecules," Aria explained. "It's no special ability. It's just her genetic makeup. One of many reasons why eevee are fascinating creatures."

"So Vaporeon can just materialize herself in the water," Jason muttered to himself.

"Now Vaporeon, Water Pulse!" Aria commanded.

"Espeon, dodge!" Kristine responded.

Vaporeon unleashed a huge ball of water projected at Espeon. As the ball converged, it transformed into a spinning whirlpool. Espeon was quick to dodge the incoming attack by jumping out of the way.

"Water Gun!" Aria continued the attack.

Vaporeon shot quick streams of Water in an attempt to hit Espeon as she was moving. Kristine saw her opportunity to attack.

"Cut inwards and use Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

"Espeon!" Espeon stopped just short of a powerful burst of water before her, and ran straight at Vaporeon.

"Dodge!" Aria yelled.

Vaporeon suddenly dematerialized into the rain. Espeon practically ran right through Vaporeon's watery shadow.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Aria followed up.

"Jump back and use Confusion!" Kristine quickly issued.

Espeon powered her legs to jump backwards. Vaporeon rematerialized from the water and lunged at Espeon. That was when Espeon's eyes turned purple, as did Vaporeon's. As the two were in mid air, Espeon used telekinesis to fling Vaporeon right over herself, slamming her back to the ground.

"Vaporeon!" Aria yelled. She feared that Vaporeon may have been confused.

But to her relief, and luck, Vaporeon managed to get up and shake off the attack.

"Calm Mind once more!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon's eyes glowed a bright white. Her special attack and defense continued to rise.

 _This girl is getting the upper hand_ , Aria thought. _Her ability to adapt to a situation and devise strategies on the go is astounding._

"Blend with the water, Vaporeon!" Aria commanded.

Vaporeon dematerialized once more.

"Espeon, I want you to use Sand Attack to create a shield all around you!" Kristine commanded.

"Espeon!" Espeon used telekinesis to kick up mud all around her, generating a shield to conceal herself from Vaporeon.

"Water Pulse, let's go!" Aria issued.

Vaporeon rematerialized from the rain, right above Espeon, and fired a massive ball of water. It transformed into a whirlpool as Espeon combated it, using telekinesis to hurl the ball of mud right at it.

The ball of mud consumed Whirlpool. Kristine found her opportunity to strike.

"Go right through with Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon swiftly moved right through where the mud and water collided. She jumped up and struck at Vaporeon hard, knocking her back down to the ground.

"Vap-oreon…" Vaporeon struggled to get back up, but she was still standing strong.

She took the initiative right from me… Aria continued. I have not faced someone like this in such a long time. She then grinned in admiration. This is a special trainer, all right.

"Confusion!" Kristine continued the attack.

"Get out of there!" Aria commanded.

Vaporeon attempted to dematerialize once more. But the rain started to die down, and as a result, she failed to do so. Her eyes matched Espeon's mesmerizing purple eyes, and she lost control of herself. She was flung into the air before slamming back down.

Vaporeon slowly got up, clearly showing fatigue. She took considerable damage, and to make things much worse for Aria, Vaporeon appeared dazed and confused.

"Espeon, let's finish this with Quick Attack!" Kristine's heart pounded. Her hands trembled. A rush throughout her body began to overwhelm her. She saw her chance to win this.

"Vaporeon! Water Gun!" Aria yelled.

Espeon charged at Vaporeon. Vaporeon heard the command, but was too dazed from Espeon's Confusion to do anything about it. Espeon struck Vaporeon head on, sending her flying back. Vaporeon fell on her side, and she did not get back up.

"Vaporeon is unable to battle!" Summer declared. She then raised her hand towards Kristine's side of the field. "That means the challenger Kristine Kyar is the winner!"

"Yes!" Kristine threw both of her fists in the air.

 _You have done well_ , Kristine heard Espeon's voice inside her mind.

 _You were excellent_ , Kristine replied, though she was very surprised to sense Espeon communicating with her again. She didn't sense a further reply. Instead, Espeon approached her.

"Espeon!" Espeon smiled and gave a nod.

"Return, Vaporeon," Aria smiled, recalling Vaporeon. "Thank you. Excellent work as always."

"Kristine Kyar," Aria spoke as she approached Kristine.

"Return, Espeon," Kristine recalled Espeon before approaching Aria.

"It is not every day where I come across trainers who are quick to adapt and overcome the tactical challenges I put before them," Aria spoke. "You learned my weaknesses and knew how to turn that to your advantage. Your balance of offense and defense is phenomenal, and you know how to work with your pokemon in coordination and in battle.

"It has been a privilege to battle you," she continued. From the satchel on her belt, Aria pulled out a small black box and presented it to Kristine. "I present you the Mystic Badge. It's the symbol of your dedication in the Inventum League and the first of many steps towards your journey of entering the Inventum Cup."

Kristine bowed her head as her eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Aria," she spoke. She then placed both of her hands before Aria.

Aria placed the box on Kristine's hands. "You will go far," Aria assured her. "Best of luck to you."

The spectators around the battle floor gave a round of applause. Jason quickly joined in on that.

Later on, Kristine and Jason walked out to the atrium together.

"That was the coolest feeling ever!" Kristine boasted. "I got the Mystic Badge! The Mystic Badge, Jason! Can't you believe it?"

Jason smiled. "I'm happy for you, Kristine."

"I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself!"

"Yeah…" Jason replied. "Let's hope my day ends the same way as yours."

Kristine calmed down a bit. She realized that Jason has the same ambitions as her, and he has yet to battle Aria.

"Hey now," she placed her hands on his shoulders. "If I can beat her, you can beat her. You're an awesome trainer yourself. You got Jolteon to train Pikachu and Ralts to learn Double Team. Many trainers would do anything just to get their pokemon to learn Double Team."

"Seeing you battle Aria taught me what it's going to take to win," Jason responded. "I'll have to be on my toes the whole time, but I think I can win this."

"You know you can win this," Kristine encouraged him. "You have the confidence. You helped me have the confidence to win."

Jason smiled at Kristine.

A moment later, Aria emerged, walking down the atrium towards Jason and Kristine, with Bradley at her side.

"Hey, kiddo," Bradley said to Kristine. "Sorry I couldn't catch most of that battle. I had a lot of reports to write. But I walked into Espeon's fight against Vaporeon. Great job out there, and congratulations!"

"Thanks!" Kristine smiled and gave a nod.

"Congratulations once more, Kristine," Aria added. She then faced Jason. "I have good news for you."

This piqued Jason's interest.

"I checked with my pokemon," Aria continued. "They're resting, but they're good to go this afternoon. How does four o'clock sound?"

"That works for me," Jason replied, happy to get a chance to battle.

"Good," Aria acknowledged. "I have a little bit of work to do. Chapter Leader things and all."

"Yeah," Bradley chuckled. "Chapter Leader things."

"See you in a bit!" Kristine waved.

"And I'll see you at our battle!" Jason spoke.

"Looking forward to it," Aria replied as she departed.

"We should head back to the center," Kristine suggested. "I need to change clothes because that battle soaked me. But you should get some lunch and relax before the battle."

"Right," Jason agreed. "Let's head back."

The two walked out of the Gym and headed back to the pokemon center. Jason kept to himself for most of the downtime. He devised a plan for what pokemon to use first, and how his rotation should be. He didn't go on the extranet to research Aria more. Watching Kristine battle her was enough for him. All he had to do was calm his mind and wait. Wait for the time to come when he can battle Aria at last. He purged his anxiety and meditated for a long while. He wanted to win. He had to win. There was no other option. He knew Aria is tough, but he knew he had to be tougher. He had the confidence.


	10. Mystic Battle! Part II

The time came for the twins to head back to the gym. It was close to the end of the workday for members of Team Mystic, so the battle floor seemed to be more populated than it did in the morning. While Jason at first felt the pressure as he looked around, he knew he had to ignore that. Aria was his only focus.

"You got this, Jason," he heard the soothing words of his sister as she took to the front row of the bleachers.

Jason took to the former side of the field. Moments later, Aria emerged from the other side, taking position at the opposite end of the field.

"Jason Kyar of Mountain Spring," Aria addressed. "You seem to have a more upfront approach than your sister, using attacks to overwhelm your opponent. Let's see how well you do today."

"I'm ready," Jason nodded and spoke with confidence.

"Good," Aria acknowledged.

Another member of Team Mystic came out to officiate. This time, it was Don.

"On my left is Aria, Fort Lexing's Pokemon Gym Leader and the Team Mystic Leader of the Inventum Chapter," he formally introduced Aria. "On my right is the challenger Jason Kyar of Mountain Spring. If Jason wins today's match, he will receive the Mystic Badge, one of twelve official badges required to enter the Inventum Cup.

"This battle will be a Pokemon League standard rule set of a three on three battle. Both sides are allowed to make substitutions in the middle of battle. The Gym Leader will announce her first pokemon, while the challenger makes the first move.

"Gym Leader, are you ready?" the Don faced Aria.

"Sure am," Aria nodded.

Don then faced Jason. "Challenger, are you ready?"

"Yes," Jason quickly responded and gave a nod.

"Then the battle may begin!" Don initiated.

"Be the keeper for me, Wobbuffet!" Aria summoned Wobbuffet.

"Wob-buffet!" Wobbuffet faced Jason and saluted.

She's going for Wobbuffet first, Jason thought. That means I need to win this one-v-one, or things will go bad, really bad.

He faced Wobbuffet with determination. "Taillow, let's go!"

Jason threw out his pokeball, summoning Taillow.

"Taillow!" Taillow greeted.

"You make the first move, Jason," Aria reminded.

"Taillow, to the sky!" Jason commanded.

"Taillow!" Taillow complied, and flew into the air.

"Now Focus Energy!" Jason continued.

Taillow harnessed his power by pumping himself up, storing energy for a powerful attack.

"Move around Wobbuffet and go for his tail with Quick Attack!" Jason followed up.

"Taillow!" Taillow swooped upon Wobbuffet. He then steered around him on his descent and successfully struck his tail.

"WOB!" Wobbuffet turned around, trying to strike back at Taillow.

"Good job!" Jason commended Taillow. "Now fly back up and go for a powerful Wing Attack! Let's do this!"

Jason got into the rhythm of battle just as Taillow did. The two seemed to be in sync, and Aria began to notice as if Jason was battling alongside Taillow.

Taillow's wings glowed brightly as he moved in for another attack behind Wobbuffet.

Aria saw the opportunity to win this battle. Taillow was powerful and swift, but not super fast like Kristine's Fletchling. While Fletchling was built more for speed, Taillow was about power. She knew Wobbuffet would have enough time to turn around and attack.

"Wobbuffet, use Counter!" she commanded, pointing at Taillow.

Wobbuffet turned around just as Taillow closed in on him. Taillow struck him head on pretty hard as Wobbuffet took the damage. Then, a white glow suddenly outlined Wobbuffet.

"WOBBUFFET!" Wobbuffet flung his arm at Taillow, striking him with such force, propelling Taillow into the air.

"Oh no! Taillow!" Jason yelled.

"Taillow!" Taillow flew right through the air like she was catapulted. She slammed to the ground just inches before Jason. She was unable to get up.

"Taillow is unable to battle!" Don declared. "Wobbuffet wins!"

Wobbuffet turned towards Taillow and saluted. "Wob-buffet!"

"Oh no…" Kristine muttered under her breath.

"A one hit KO…" Jason muttered in disbelief. He recalled Taillow. "We'll figure this out," he said.

Jason fell into exactly what he feared – Wobbuffet winning the initial battle. All he could hope for is taking out Wobbuffet before Aria could call Destiny Bond.

Jason reached for his second pokeball. "Let's go, Ralts!" he yelled.

"Ralts!" Ralts bowed her head to Wobbuffet as soon as she was summoned.

"Wob-buffet!" Wobbuffet saluted back.

"Ralts, Teleport, let's go!" Jason quickly ordered.

Ralts vanished in front of Wobbuffet.

"Appear from behind and use Disarming Voice!" Jason followed up.

Ralts soon reappeared behind Wobbuffet and fired off a screech that enveloped Wobbuffet in a volley of heart-shaped sound waves.

"Wobb!" Wobbuffet endured the attack.

"Turn around and use Mirror Coat!" Aria responded.

Wobbuffet turned around and shielded himself in a white aura before firing it back at Ralts.

"Double Team!" Jason yelled.

Ralts projected multiple images of herself. Wobbuffet's powerful Mirror Coat burned right through nearly half of Ralts' copies.

"Confusion, let's go!" Jason followed up.

Ralts waved her hands. She threw Wobbuffet into the air through telepathy.

"Safeguard!" Aria called. Wobbuffet slammed back down, but he quickly got up without suffering from the effects of Confusion.

 _How many hits can Wobbuffet take?_ Jason wondered. _He should be called the Endurance Pokemon instead._

"Ralts, Disarming Voice one more time!" Jason commanded.

Ralts projected a screech of hearts at Wobbuffet once more.

"Mirror Coat, Wobbuffet!" Aria responded.

"Wobb!" Wobbuffet got struck by Ralts' Disarming Voice. He then projected a powerful beam back at Ralts.

"Teleport!" Jason ordered.

Ralts teleported out just in the nick of time before Mirror Coat struck her.

"Disarming Voice again!" Jason yelled.

Ralts unleashed yet another Disarming Voice, this time, at Wobbuffet's flank.

Knowing that Wobbuffet likely could not withstand another attack, Aria knew it was time to call Destiny Bond.

"Destiny Bond, Wobbuffet!" she yelled.

"Wob-buffet!" Wobbuffet saluted and shrouded himself in a purple mist, right before he was struck by Disarming Voice. He then fell sideways to the ground, unable to get up.

Jason looked down in utter disappointment. He knew that Destiny Bond would take out Ralts. He believed he failed.

"Wobbuffet is unable to battle!" Don declared. "Ralts wins!"

Seconds later, a purple mist consumed Ralts. She also fell to the ground, unable to get up.

"Ralts is unable to battle!" Don announced.

"Return, Ralts…" Jason recalled her without looking up. He glanced at her pokeball. "I'm sorry. You did great."

 _Now what?_ Jason thought to himself. _All I have left is Jolteon, and Aria hasn't even used Dragonair and Vaporeon yet. Oh man, what am I going to do now?_

A few members of Team Mystic got up and left, coming to a conclusion that the battle is Aria's to take. To them, it was just another trainer falling short of defeating Aria.

Jason appeared to be discouraged. Aria was curious to know how he would react to this situation.

"Alright, Dragonair, you're up!" Aria summoned Dragonair.

Dragonair slithered before sticking her head up at Jason's direction. Even she was curious to see what Jason was going to do.

Kristine knew Jason needed encouragement. She stood straight up. "Come on, Jason!" she yelled. "You can do this!"

Jason smirked. He pulled out his last pokeball and looked right at it.

"Okay, Jolteon," Jason muttered. "I'm asking a lot out of you. We have two Pokemon to take out, and it's just me and you. But I'm going to be right behind you. We'll come out hitting the ground running, and we're going to fire everything we've got at them. We'll give it our best shot, because we can't lose."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked at Aria and opened his eyes. Aria could clearly see the sense of determination Jason displayed. "We won't lose! Let's go, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon immediately charged at Dragonair as he was summoned.

"Thunder Wave!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon projected a Thunderous Wave that consumed Dragonair. She quickly became paralyzed.

"Headbutt, let's go!" Jason followed up. He was getting into the heat of the moment, as if he was next to Jolteon.

Jolteon struck Dragonair with a strong Headbutt attack, so powerful that it knocked Dragonair down. Dragonair was quick to get back up. A silver shroud covered her for a brief few seconds. Then, she was relieved from paralysis.

"Shed Skin," Jason mentioned.

"So you know of Dragonair's special ability?" Aria seemed impressed. "It'll be hard keeping her paralyzed.

"Jolteon, let's use Swift!" Jason issued.

"Twister!" Aria responded.

Dragonair projected a vortex from the orb on her neck. Jolteon's swift of stars got sucked right into it, and the vortex vanished a moment later.

"Use Dragon Rage!" Aria followed up.

Dragonair projected a ball of energy directed at Jolteon.

"Double Team!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself. The energy ball struck right through two copies before it fizzled.

"Jolteon, let's use Thunder Wave!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon emerged from his copies and projected Thunder Wave, striking Dragonair head on. Then, Jason wanted to make his move before Dragonair's Shed Skin triggers.

"Headbutt!" Jason commanded.

Dragonair was unable to move due to paralysis. Jolteon charged right at her, striking at her hard with his head tilted forward. This knocked Dragonair down to the ground, and she had a hard time lifting her head up.

"Jump back and use Swift one more time!" Jason issued.

Jolteon jumped back and fired a volley of stars at Dragonair. Star after star exploded upon impact, leaving a big cloud of smoke covering Dragonair.

Jolteon and Jason waited for the smoke to clear. As it did, Dragonair clearly showed that she was unable to get up.

Gasps were heard across the floor. Just a moment ago, Jason had his back against the wall. Now, he leveled the playing field. He took out Dragonair quickly when Jolteon didn't suffer a single direct hit.

 _Wow, look at Jason,_ Kristine examined her brother. _He looks determined. Jolteon just took down Dragonair and he's waiting to take down Vaporeon. I don't think I've ever seen him like this. Other than when I fell down the hill. He did everything he can to make sure I was safe. It's as if he's guiding Jolteon to victory. Losing is not an option._

"Dragonair is unable to battle!" Don declared, surprised by the turn of events. "Jolteon wins!"

Aria recalled Dragonair. _Even she was startled. I pin him against the wall, and he comes back throwing punches, she thought._ _She then gave a smirk. Luckily, the only electric move Jolteon knows is Thunder Wave. But I can't underestimate this kid's desire to win. He's not one bit interested in celebrating for taking down Dragonair. This reminds me of my teenage years, how I loved the thrill of competition with Vaporeon._

"Kristine uses strategies to work down her opponents," Aria spoke. "I can clearly see you fight with heart, Jason. You are more offensive oriented, yet you care about your pokemon." She takes off her jacket and tosses it aside, revealing a black undershirt with a deep blue emblem of an articuno front and center, something her members don't remember ever recalling whenever they see her battle. "Let's dance!"

Aria pulled out her last pokeball. "Go, Vaporeon!"

"Vaporeon!" Vaporeon greeted with grace as soon as she was summoned.

"Jolteon, Thunder Wave!" Jason quickly called.

Jolteon projected a Thunder Wave that struck Vaporeon. Vaporeon became consumed by paralysis.

"Rain Dance!" Aria responded.

A rain cloud formed above Vaporeon and expanded across the field. Then, the downpour began. That was when Vaporeon could suddenly move once again.

"Hydration," Jason mentioned. "Vaporeon's special ability. That means Vaporeon's clean of any status conditions while it's raining."

Aria gave a nod. "Correct."

"Jolteon, follow up with Swift!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon fired a swift of stars at Vaporeon.

"Blend with the water, Vaporeon!" Aria responded.

Vaporeon dematerialized into the rain, avoiding Jolteon's Swift. The stars all exploded in midair.

"Quick Attack, Vaporeon!" Aria followed up.

Vaporeon rematerialized at Jolteon's left flank and struck his side, knocking him down.

"Let's get back up, Jolteon!" Jason yelled. Jolteon was quick to get up as Vaporeon backed off.

Jason removed his jacket without even thinking about it. Vaporeon's Rain Dance drenched him, and he was really feeling the heat of battle.

"Headbutt, now!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon charged at Vaporeon head-on.

"Blend!" Aria commanded.

Vaporeon dematerialized once more.

"Thunder Wave!" Jason called. He knew that Vaporeon would quickly be cleansed of it, but he needed to expose her. Otherwise, Jolteon would not stand a chance.

Jolteon let out a thunderous wave. Thunder Wave reacted to the rainfall and practically spread everywhere. As a result, Vaporeon rematerialized on the floor, suffering from paralysis.

"Swift! Let's go!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon unleashed a flurry of stars at Vaporeon.

"Vaporeon, use Water Gun to deflect Swift!" Aria yelled.

Vaporeon shot out a strong stream of water to deflect much of the attack, though a few stars managed to get through. Vaporeon only suffered minor damage from the attack.

"Now let's use Water Pulse!" Aria followed up.

Vaporeon fired a ball of water at Jolteon. It opened into a whirlpool as it approached him.

"Double Team!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself. Water Pulse engulfed nearly half of them.

"Use Water Gun to take out the remaining copies!" Aria continued.

Vaporeon used Water Gun to rapidly take out the other copies. At that point, she was already cured from paralysis due to her special ability.

"Jolteon, Headbutt!" Jason shouted.

Jolteon emerged from Vaporeon's flank and struck her, sending her tumbling over once. Vaporeon was quick to get back up on four legs.

"Swift!" Jason followed up.

"Quick Attack!" Aria quickly responded.

Vaporeon rapidly moved right beneath the volley of stars and struck Jolteon head on. Jolteon was a little slow to get back up.

"Blend once more!" Aria called, believing she had the upper hand.

Vaporeon dematerialized into the rain.

"Now Water Pulse and quick!" Aria followed up.

"Thunder Wave now!" Jason yelled.

Vaporeon rematerialized and fired off a ball of water. Jolteon projected Thunder Wave, which expanded once again across the field. It even struck Water Pulse and exploded it into a mist that covered much of the field. Electric currents were rippling through the field as well.

Kristine could hear many gasps within the audience. Jason stood there, catching deep breaths, as even he looked fatigued. Sweat and rain were rolling down his forehead, and his arms were coated with the like.

Aria broke a sweat as well. She didn't see this as a strategic match like her battle with Kristine was. This was about passion. This was about who wanted to win more, and she knew that Jason wanted to win this really, really badly.

"I commend you, Jason," Aria stood tall with admiration. "Ten minutes ago, no one but your sister would have predicted this."

"Thanks, but it's not over yet!" Jason replied. He kept pushing himself, and Jolteon, even further. "All the way, Jolteon! All the way! Let's go!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon was ready to head back into the fray.

By then, the rain cloud began to clear, meaning that Vaporeon's natural advantages would no longer come into play.

"Use Swift!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon fired yet another volley of stars at Vaporeon.

"Dodge and use Water Gun!" Aria responded.

"Quick! Double Team!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon projected more copies of himself. Vaporeon's Water Gun went right through two of them.

"Thunder Wave!" Jason issued.

Jolteon's Thunder Wave had a direct impact on Vaporeon. This time, Vaporeon was fully affected, unable to escape from it.

"Headbutt! Now!" Jason felt his voice getting coarse.

Jolteon ran right at Vaporeon for a powerful attack.

"Water Pulse!" Aria called.

Vaporeon fired a ball of water that expanded into a whirlpool. If Jason did nothing, Jolteon would be enveloped into it.

"Use Swift and run right through it with Headbutt!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon fired Swift, combating Water Pulse. The stars' explosions were weakening the whirlpool as Jolteon ran right through it, striking Vaporeon head on. Vaporeon flew backwards before barely maintaining her balance.

"WATER GUN!" Aria screamed.

"SWIFT!" Jason screamed back. He was in crunch time, and he felt the heat of the moment. His heart was racing beyond measure.

Jolteon's stars grazed Water Gun as they struck Vaporeon. Vaporeon's Water Gun, on the other hand, also struck Jolteon head on. Explosion after explosion covered Vaporeon, while Water Gun sent Jolteon flying back just several yards shy of Jason.

Kristine stood straight up. She and everyone else knew this was going to be a very close call. Even Aria no longer displayed her sense of calmness and control. She was anxious to see the results just as anyone else.

Jolteon was on the floor, clearly exhausted.

"Come on, Jolteon…" Jason muttered.

The smoke still covered Vaporeon.

"Come on, Jolteon!" Jason yelled, trying to encourage his Pokemon. "You can get up! I just need you to stand up! You can do this!"

The smoke cleared. Vaporeon was down and out, clearly unable to stand back up.

"Jolt…" Jolteon struggled to stand back up. He tried with all of his might.

And to Jason's relief, Jolteon used his front paws to push himself back up. He stood on his four legs.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon howled triumphantly. "Jolteon!"

"Vaporeon is unable to battle!" Don declared. He raised his hand to Jason's side. "The challenger Jason is the winner of this match!"

"We won…" Jason breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "I can't believe we won…"

Everyone around the floor erupted in applause. It was the best battle many of them had seen in a long time.

Kristine shot straight up and cheered. "Way to go, Jason and Jolteon! You guys rock!"

Jason clearly looked exhausted. He felt like he was there with Jolteon the whole time. His legs suddenly gave out, and he fell on both of his knees. He became very emotional as he put his hands on the floor.

"We won…" he nearly broke into tears. "We did it, Jolteon. We did it, Taillow. We did it, Ralts."

Jolteon limped over and nudged his way into Jason's arms. Jason gave him a nice, warm hug. "You did amazing, buddy," he wiped away a tear.

"Jolt!" Jolteon gave a smile. "Jolteon!"

Kristine quickly ran over to Jason's side as she slid on her knees next to him.

Aria gave a smile and recalled her pokemon. "Excellent job, Vaporeon," she commended her Pokemon. "You never let me down."

Kristine put her right hand on Jason's back and looked right at his eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked. "You were awesome out there. The both of you!"

"Yeah," Jason nodded, still holding onto Jolteon. "We won it. I can't believe we won it."

"Let's get Jolteon some rest and get you some water," Kristine suggested. She then took Jolteon's pokeball from Jason's belt.

Jason simply gave a nod.

"Return, Jolteon," Kristine said, recalling Jolteon. She then wrapped Jason's arm over her shoulders before helping him up.

"My, my," Aria approached Jason and Kristine, clapping her hands in astonishment. "That battle was so intense, I could have sworn you were fighting Vaporeon yourself at one point."

Jason laughed at the comment. "I think I actually sent myself out there."

Aria smiled. "Few trainers in the world would display what you did today, Jason. Many would have given up. You kept on fighting when you just had one pokemon against two fully ready pokemon. That in itself deserves much respect."

"That sounds like something from Team Valor, Aria!" Don bantered. Everyone in the audience had a good laugh from that comment.

"It's the truth, all the same," Aria smirked at the comment. "Jason, you have willed yourself to victory today and you have demonstrated that you have a special bond with your pokemon."

Aria pulled out a small black box from her belt satchel. "It is with honor that I present you the Mystic Badge." She opened the box and presented it to him.

Jason kindly accepted it with his free right hand. "Thank you, Aria," he bowed his head.

The audience erupted with one more round of applauses.

"You're more than welcome to stay around at our lounge," Aria offered hospitality, seeing that Jason is severely exhausted and dehydrated. "Water will make you feel better."

Aria led the twins into a lounge at the far end of the atrium. It served as not only the break room for Team Mystic, but also the entrance to the upstairs offices.

The twins were astounded by the blue and white décor of the room. There were three massive photography portraits of an articuno on the left, right, and in front of them on the opposite room. There were two tables that could easily sit ten each, and there were two lounging areas on opposite ends that mirrored each other. Each one had a couch, two recliners, and a flat screen television. There was even a kitchen towards the back.

"Make yourselves at home," Aria said. "I'll be upstairs if you need anything."

Just then, Don handed Jason and Kristine each a bottled water. The two then sat down at the lounging area to the right at the sofa directly facing the television.

Kristine picked up the remote nearby and turned the television on.

"And now, we're down to our top three pokemon battle plays of the week," the sportscaster announced. He is a male appearing to be in his late thirties to early forties.

The screen played back footage from a contest in Inventum.

"Number Three is the Viceport Invitational Quarterfinal between Zig and Charlie Zeller," the man narrated. "Zig's Raichu grabs a hold of Charlie's Pidgeot in midair with its tail before firing Hyper Beam point blank!"

The twins saw the entire scene unfold.

"That's awesome," Jason said. He was feeling much better after drinking water.

"Zig won the match 3-1, but eventually lost to Spark himself in the Final."

"Number Two is Richland Port's Power Duo 57," the man continued. The screen shifted to another battle. "Richland Port's own Dave and Dan against tag battle partners Amy and Erin. Dave and Dan's Combusken and Marshtomp used Fire Pledge and Water Pledge, respectively, taking out Beautifly and Azumarill at the same time!"

"A tag battle…" Kristine muttered.

"And Number One, we have a comeback victory at the Pokeworld Junior Circuit!"

The screen switched to another battle location.

"We have Jack, 13, against Sarah, 15," the announcer continued. "Jack, down 2-1, sends out Hitmonlee for an against-all-odds assault against Sara's Pupitar, taking it down it a matter of seconds. And then, Manectric comes into play, and after a hard fought battle, Hitmonlee comes out on top following a High Jump Kick!"

The two saw the play unfold.

"You totally had that kid beat," Kristine mentioned. "You can totally be up here."

Jason smirked. "So can you, sis."

"We should enter these televised tournaments as we venture across Inventum," Kristine added.

"For sure," Jason agreed. "After what we displayed today, we can definitely be up there with these guys.

"Let's keep working at it," Kristine said. "Our battle yesterday won't be the only one we'll have. We'll be battling against each other again."

"And I look forward to it," Jason smirked. "For now, we have the Tranquility Gym to go to."

Kristine gave a nod. "But first…"

The two began to make their way to the exit of the gym when they were stopped by Aria.

"Hey guys," Aria approached Jason and Kristine. "I just wanted to say once again that the both of you did an excellent job. You guys have been registered on the extranet as victors of the Mystic Gym and legit contenders in the Inventum League. Now go knock 'em dead out there. You have eleven more to go!"

"We'll make you proud, Aria," Kristine replied.

"We'll keep working at it to be the best out there," Jason added.

"Good," Aria acknowledged. "It gets harder the further you go. If you haven't planned it out yet, I suggest heading towards the Team Tranquility Gym in Saint Brandon, just northwest of here. Justin is a good guy, and his wife, Fiona, is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Justin will know the best way to test the both of you."

"We were actually planning to head in that direction," Kristine said. "It's the closest gym and the easiest to get to from here."

"Best of luck to the both of you," Aria smiled. "And stay safe out there."

The two departed from the Gym as they walked into the entertainment district of Fort Lexing.

"Okay," Kristine said. "Tonight, we party!"

After heading back to the pokemon center so Jason could get dressed, the two headed into a nearby arcade, where they competed against each other in various joystick and virtual games. Dusk fell as Fort Lexing became illuminated by neon lights. Many people were out strolling in casual wear, and whether people played in the arcades or were taking a stroll around the entertainment district, they were simply having a good time. Kristine had to convince Jason that it was a night well deserved after spending three weeks getting from Mountain Spring to receiving the Mystic Badge. It was a victory not only for them, but for their pokemon as well.

Both of them knew they still had a long journey to go. They each had only three pokemon, and a full team required six. They spent one more day in Fort Lexing, stocking up on supplies and giving their pokemon time to rest before they made plans to venture onwards, with Saint Brandon to the north-northwest in sight.

* * *

 **And that ends the Mystic arc. Our heroes will go for the Tranquility Badge next, and more challenges await them. Please favorite/follow and leave a review or PM and tell me what you think of the gym battles!**


	11. Rivalry in Harmony

"Mom, look what we got!" Kristine boasted, as she and Jason showed their mother their Mystic Badges through the video call at the pokemon center.

"Wow, congratulations!" Veronica smiled. "You're on the path now, but you have a long way to go!"

"Yep!" Jason replied. "Our next stop is Saint Brandon for the Tranquility Gym.

"Tranquility Gym, huh?" Veronica seemed intrigued. "That's about a week and a half away from where you're at if I can recall correctly. It's a very beautiful landscape between Fort Lexing and Saint Brandon. I hear Lake Serenity is very pretty at this time of year.

"Awesome!" Kristine said. "It was a bit rough to get to Fort Lexing."

"Tell me about it," Jason chuckled.

"Well, getting to Saint Brandon shouldn't be too much of a problem," Veronica said. "Just make sure to contact me when you get your Tranquility Badges, especially if you're moving east."

"That's right," Kristine mentioned. "After Saint Brandon, we'll have to go through the Nappalchan Mountains."

"But we don't need to worry about that," Jason added.

"Yet," Veronica corrected. "Anyways, continue to be safe out there, kids."

"We will, Mom," Kristine assured her.

"Love you always," Veronica replied.

"Love you too!" Jason and Kristine said at the same time before Veronica shut off the comm feed.

"Well, sis," Jason got up. "I say it's time to head out to Harmony Road."

"You bet!" Kristine agreed.

The two packed up and were fully supplied to head out of Fort Lexing and continue their adventure. They exited the city from the north side, going through a gate that took them into Route 104 – Harmony Road.

The terrain seemed flat, full of grassy fields and sporadic trees. The winds blew gently as the twins enjoyed the cool breeze and crisp air. They heard the occasional chirps of various flying pokemon throughout.

"You know, I've been thinking," Kristine pondered. "It's time for our pokemon to learn some new moves."

"It's a good idea," Jason agreed. "But what do you have in mind?"

"Like how you taught Ralts and Pikachu to use Double Team via Jolteon," Kristine mentioned. "I can have Pikachu teach Jolteon Thunder Shock, or you can have Taillow teach Fletchling Wing Attack. And if we keep training with each other, our pokemon are bound to know some good moves."

"I'd like that," Jason gave a nod.

The two continued down the road, and began their supposed training as early as lunchtime, when they parked themselves at a nice, quiet grassy field.

Jason and Kristine had all of their Pokemon out. Pikachu began teaching Jolteon to learn Thunder Shock.

"Pika-chuuuuu!" Pikachu unleashed a thunderous shock, demonstrating to Jolteon how to project that kind of electric energy.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon tried to follow Pikachu's lead, but instead, he projected Thunder Wave.

"Try to project your lightning energy at the target," Jason walked over to Jolteon. "You want to make it a fearsome attack."

Jolteon gave a nod. He did his best to harness electric energy through his coat. "Jolt-eon!"

Then, Jolteon shot out a bolt of lightning just like Pikachu did.

"Sweet!" Kristine noticed. "Your Jolteon is learning Thunder Shock."

"Looks like we have a damaging electric attack!" Jason replied. "That's perfect for me."

Meanwhile, Ralts stood at a considerable distance away, in the middle of a grassy field. "Ralts!" she lifted her hands up. Then the leaves and flowers around her glowed a bright purple as they floated into the air.

"Hey, what's Ralts doing?" Kristine asked.

"Huh?" Jason looked over. "Hmm. I think Ralts is learning Magical Leaf."

"Isn't that a Grass Type move?"

"Yeah, but Ralts is doing it through telekinesis."

Suddenly, Taillow and Fletchling swooped over Jason and Kristine.

Kristine looked up to see that both of their wings are glowing. "Hey, I think Taillow is teaching Fletching Wing Attack!"

Jason looked up as well. He seemed impressed. "I think this is working out real well."

"Perhaps Jolteon can teach Espeon Swift," Kristine continued. "I think she might need a better defense than Sand Attack."

"And Swift can be used offensively as well," Jason added. "At this rate, I think we'll be just fine when we challenge the Tranquility Gym."

"Let's see…" Kristine looked at her field guide. "Team Tranquility. They've been around for almost 50 years, but it says here they were originally founded to combat the illegal operations that some syndicates were conducting here."

"Like what, Team Rocket?" Jason seemed surprised.

"No, that's Kanto. Well, mainly Kanto."

"What group organized here?"

"Well, there was a rogue group right from Fort Lexing," Kristine explained as she read on. "They specialized in the capture of legendary pokemon to sell them in black markets. And there was a group in Viceport that imported illegal performance enhancers from other parts of the world. Which is why competition was highly controversial back then.

"Apparently, crime was rampant all over Inventum, especially after The War, so Team Tranquility was founded with Lugia as its sigil, which makes it appropriate. You know the children's stories about how Lugia made Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos get along?

Jason gave a nod.

"Well, Tranquility worked with police all over Inventum to put the bad seeds in prison and replace them with good people. That's partially how we have groups like Team Mystic, who helps regions with conservation and understanding the more mysterious side of pokemon. Not to mention many others."

"So what does Tranquility do now?" Jason asked.

"They are responsible for the preserves surrounding Saint Brandon," Kristine replied. "Like Mystic, they have pokemon rangers, but they span from Lake Serenity to the western end of the Nappalchan Mountains."

"So we'll be seeing Tranquility soon."

"Yep."

An hour later, the two packed up, recalled their polemon, and continued down Harmony Road. They camped at a grassy field by night, and the next morning, they spent more than an hour training their pokemon. Most pokemon tried out and attempted to perfect new moves.

Taillow, who was alongside Fletchling, let out a harrowing supersonic screech that suddenly left Fletchling dazed.

"What's going on, you two?" Kristine walked over.

She noticed that Fletchling was stumbling all over the place before falling on his side.

"Taillow!" Taillow greeted.

"Oh boy," Kristine laughed. "Taillow, you know Supersonic."

"Taillow!" Taillow nodded.

"Okay, come back, Fletchling," Kristine recalled him.

"You should've kept Fletchling out there," Kristine heard a distant voice.

"Hmm?" she looked up to see Alex, the boy that Jason supposedly doesn't like.

"Your Fletchling should learn how to deal with that situation," Alex continued. "He won't get any stronger if you just recall him."

"Well, I can make my own decisions and handle myself, thank you very much," Kristine replied.

"Whatever," Alex crossed his arms. "If you want to be a pro, then you should start thinking like one."

"Hey, what's going on?" Jason walked over to Kristine.

"And of course, you're still hanging out with this knucklehead," Alex smirked.

"He's my brother, Alex," Kristine seemed annoyed. "How about you just leave us alone and go bother someone else?"

"Hmmph," Alex rolled his eyes and began to depart.

"Alex, were you just bothering my sister?" Jason stepped forward.

"I was just offering her advice," Alex turned around. "She seemed more open minded than you."

"Hey now," Kristine stepped in. "Don't talk to Jason like that. He did nothing to you."

"That's it, Alex!" Jason took several large steps forward. "Me and you. Three on three! Let's go!"

Alex smirked and crossed his arms. "But I already know which Pokemon you will be using. Taillow, Ralts, and Jolteon. I have already caught nine Pokemon since I started. You're way behind the game."

Taillow, Ralts, and Jolteon all ran by Jason's side.

"Alright, then!" Jason said. "Taillow, let's go!"

"Not worth my time," Alex began to depart once more. "I have direct counters to your pokemon. I would win three to zero, easily."

"How do you know that?" Jason took more steps forward.

"Jason, don't," Kristine got in front of him.

Alex then walked out of sight.

"He knows how to push my buttons," Jason held back his frustrations.

"He's not worth it," Kristine replied. "Besides, he's all talk. He hasn't seen you battle."

"The only time we battled was near Spring Haven, when you were recovering," Jason recollected. "He used Chimchar when I used Jolteon when he was Eevee, of course. He defeated me and pretty much labeled me as inferior since."

"But the next time we fight, you'll regret ever becoming a pokemon trainer!" Jason yelled as loud as he could. "You hear me, Alex!?"

"Okay," Kristine smiled, trying to calm Jason down. "Let's head back and get some breakfast, okay?"

Jason took a deep breath. "Okay."

The two headed back to camp, where Kristine prepared breakfast for herself and Jason.

"I totally want to battle Alex," Jason ranted. "I want a rematch with Jolteon and Chimchar."

"Okay, Jason," Kristine smiled as he served him stew. "Let's focus on breakfast and then heading towards Saint Brandon."

Jason sighed. "Very well. But Alex is mine someday."

"I'm sure he will be," Kristine sat down next to him with a bowl of stew in her hands.

Jason took a sip from his bowl. "This is pretty good," he complimented his sister.

Kristine nodded. "What can I say? I learn from the best," she referred to their mother.

"So, anything special on Route 104?" Jason asked.

"Just a lot of grassy fields and small hills," Kristine replied. "You'll get your occasional trainers looking to battle, since this road and Route 105 are popular for trainers trying to become good enough to fight in the Mystic or Tranquility Gyms."

"Fair enough," Jason took another sip from his stew.

"But," Kristine added. "Lake Serenity divides the two roads. It's a popular spot to relax. I think once we head there, we should relax for at least a day and train our Pokemon while we're at it."

"Any pokemon at Lake Serenity?" Jason asked.

"The handbook said it's full of magikarp and feebas," Kristine replied. "Rumors tell of what is called the Regal Milotic living in the bottom of the lake."

"Regal Milotic?" Jason seemed intrigued.

Kristine gave a nod. "This one is blue with a golden tail, rather than red with a blue tail."

"Interesting," Jason said. "But if there's magikarp in the Lake, I'm getting one!"

Kristine snickered. "Living the dream, huh?"

"Imagine it, sis," Jason had a vision. "The day Magikarp evolves into Gyarados, he will be part of a strong team. Everyone would already respect me just because I have Gyarados!"

"Yeah, well, good luck with that," Kristine spoke the truth. "It took many gyarados owners years to not only evolve their magikarp, but to command ttheir gyarados'' respect."

"You're right," Jason replied. "But if there's a will, there's a way."

The two soon packed up and headed down Route 104. They spent the day traversing through Harmony Road, with a one-hour lunch break along the way. As the sun set, the two found a nice camping area at a flat, grassy field.

As the two set up their tent, they heard footsteps approach them. Kristine looked to see it was Liz, the redhead back in the Spring Haven pokemon center who broke her arm.

"Hey there," Liz spoke. She didn't appear to have a cast or brace on her arm anymore.

"Hey Liz!" Kristine happily greeted. "I suppose your arm fully healed, huh?"

Liz nodded. "I had a lot of ground covered. Figured Amanda and Bran were well ahead of me, so I managed to challenge Aria this morning and won."

"This morning?" that caught Jason's attention.

"Yep," Liz nodded. "I put Charmander on Wobbuffet. He took him out, but that Destiny Bond got him. Mankey takes on Dragonair, wins, loses to Vaporeon. Purrloin is up, and wins by a hair.

"Boss Lady comes up to me, says I'm skilled, fierce, yada yada, hands me the Mystic Badge – sweet by the way – and now here I am."

"Well, congratulations," Kristine smiled. "You didn't waste any time, now did you?"

"Nope!" Liz chuckled. "Had to cover a lot of ground, yeah?"

"Anyways," Liz looked around. "Mind if I set up shop next to you guys? I'm starving."

"Sure," Kristine smiled. "Make yourself at home."

"I can set up a campfire too," Liz continued. "Weather's getting a little chilly."

Liz gathered a pile of sticks and used a circle of dirt and mud as a barrier for the campfire. With an electric lighter, she started the controlled campfire. She, Jason, and Kristine sat next to eachother before the campfire.

"So, what are your stories?" Liz asked.

"We've lived in Mountain Spring all our lives," Jason spoke.

"Your lives?" Liz seemed intrigued. "I bounced all over the place when I was little. My dad is a marketer for synthetics for elderly Pokemon, you see, and his company sends him everywhere. What did your parents do?"

"Our mom was a contest coordinator," Kristine replied. "Our dad was a pokemon trainer."

"So I guess they got married and settled down?" Liz asked.

"Not really," Jason simply replied. "Our dad became an expeditionary researcher."

"Oh, so he travels the world and –"

"He's dead." Jason crossed his arms.

"Oh my," Liz was taken back. "I'm-I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay," Kristine smiled. "It's been hard on us, and it's been hard on Jason."

"Yeah…" Liz took a deep breath.

A moment later, Jason got up and went inside his and Kristine's tent.

"Now I feel like a jerk," Liz felt guilty.

"Jason was really close to our father," Kristine replied. "The two did a lot together. He wanted to be just like him. His Eevee evolved into Jolteon back at Cheron Forest, and I think he wouldn't have it any other way. See, our father had a jolteon too."

"I see…" Liz replied.

"Our father went out west to the Barren Wastes to in hopes to uncover the cause of unusual seismic readings there," Kristine continued. "He traveled with a small team alongside his jolteon to the canyons. When he traversed across a steep cliff, his rope and harness failed on him, sending him tumbling down. His team called off the search, and sent Jolteon back to us."

Liz started to tear up. "That's horrible."

"When we heard the news, I was very sad, and so was my mother, but Jason was torn. He wouldn't talk to me for weeks, and stayed away from anything and everything. Sometimes he blamed his father for leaving him. Sometimes he blamed himself, because our father constantly said the work he was doing was for his kids.

"We have a grave in his honor," Kristine continued. "But…they never found his body. All we know is that he fell over a thousand feet…"

Liz put her hand on Kristine's shoulder. "I am so sorry."

"Yeah," Kristine took a deep breath to recollect herself. "Jason accepted it and moved on. Just a fair warning though, his father will always be a soft spot for him."

"Noted," Liz nodded.

"Anyways," Kristine tried to lighten the mood. "Shall we change topics?"

"Sounds good to me," Liz leaned backwards, using her hands to support herself.

"Do you have any siblings?" Kristine asked.

"I'm the youngest of four sisters," Liz replied. "My last name is Rose. My oldest is Zoe. She's a contest coordinator who entered a lot of contests in Sinnoh, Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn in her day."

"That's cool," Kristine replied.

"She would get irked every time she saw someone trying to become a trainer and a coordinator at the same time," Liz chuckled. "She always thought we should make up our minds before we commit to something big."

"Jason and I wanted to be trainers since we were little," Kristine mentioned.

"I'm sure that sparked some sibling rivalry," Liz replied.

"It has, and it still will," Kristine chuckled. "We had our first battle the other day."

"Oh?" Liz leaned forward.

"One of the Mystic Showcases," Kristine explained. "Jason and I made it to the last round of eight trainers. I used Espeon, and he used Jolteon. I won, but barely."

"Get ready for the next sibling battle," Liz cautioned. "Because you know it will happen, and he will come for revenge. It's what I would do if any of my sisters beat me in any kind of tournament."

"It's one thing to speculate about it," Kristine added. "It's another to see your brother across the field, looking right at you. Here's the person I've been traveling with, someone who's literally been at my side since before we were born, and he's battling against me."

"Must be hard to go through with it," Liz saw Kristine's perspective.

"Well, at first," Kristine said before she snickered. "But, you know, I wanna win!"

Liz laughed. "Sibling rivalry, all right."

"Well, I should head back in and get ready for bed," Kristine said.

"Likewise," Liz said as she got up. "See you in the morning, Kristine."

"Yep," Kristine smiled before she got up. She then headed inside to see that Jason was sound asleep.

The next morning, Jason got up and stretched his arms. He felt bad for walking out on Liz and Kristine last night. But as Kristine warned Liz, Dad will always be a soft spot for him.

Jason put on his clothes and headed out the tent. She saw that Liz was already out there, practicing with Charmander.

"Hey Liz," Jason approached her.

Liz turned to face him. "Morning," she acknowledged.

"I just wanted to say sorry about last night," Jason spoke.

Liz smiled. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

"Yeah," Jason gave a light sigh. "So, you have Charmander?"

"Yep," Liz nodded.

"Charmander!" Charmander greeted.

Just then, Kristine got out of the tent, ready for the day.

"Morning bro, morning Liz," she greeted.

"Morning," Liz and Jason said back at the same time.

"So, I think we should start our morning routines, Jason," Kristine suggested.

"You guys having a pokemon battle?" Liz seemed curious.

"Not really," Jason snickered. "More like scrimmages. We have our Pokemon teach eachother new moves and the like."

"Must be really awesome having a sparring partner," Liz said.

"Hey, maybe you should train with us," Kristine added.

Liz smirked. "I could join you, but I'm not sure how I would fit into your routines. There is, however, an alternative."

"Like a pokemon battle?" Jason smirked.

"Exactly! Yet there's two of you."

Liz specifically turned to Kristine. "No knock on you, Jason, but I want to fight Kristine, provided that you're willing to battle. I like your sense of style. I want to see how I fare with it."

Kristine stepped forward with confidence. "Then let's battle."

"Sweet," Liz seemed excited. "Three on three sound good?"

"Absolutely."

"I guess I can try to be the referee," Jason spoke. "Though I never have done that before."

"It's easy-peasy," Liz replied. "You see a pokemon go down, wait a few seconds. If they make no effort to get up, you call it."

Liz then took some paces away from Kristine before facing her at a considerable range. Jason stood at the side towards the center of the two.

"Ready, Kristine?" Liz asked.

"Ready as a fearow on a sunny day," Kristine smirked.

"Alright then," Liz acknowledged. She then pulled out her first Pokeball. "Go, Mankey!"

"Mankey," the furry money-like creature greeted after he was summoned. He had a flat nose, resembling that of a pig.

Jason pulled out his pokedex to examine the creature.

"Mankey, the pig monkey pokemon," the Pokedex explained. "When mankey start shaking and its nasal breathing turns rough, it's a sure sign that it is becoming angry. However, because it goes into a towering rage almost instantly, it is impossible for anyone to flee its wrath."

"A fighting type, huh?" Kristine smirked. "Alright. Let's go, Fletchling!"

"Fletch!" Fletchling hopped forward after he was summoned.

"You go first, Kristine," Liz said.

"Fletchling, take to the sky and use Agility!" Kristine commanded.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling flew all around Mankey in blazing fast speeds.

"He's fast," Liz noted. "Mankey, keep an eye on him!"

"Alright, Fletchling!" Kristine followed up. "Let's use your new Wing Attack! Let's go!"

"Fletchling!" Fletchling dove down with flowing wings. A second later, he struck Mankey, sending him flying backwards before tumbling to the floor.

"That was super effective and critical to say the least," Liz muttered. "Mankey, hop back up and show them what you can do!"

Mankey slowly got back up, and when he did, his face was steaming red.

"Mankey's special ability is Anger Point," Liz mentioned. "You hit him with a big attack, he'll want revenge. His attacks are going to be much more powerful."

"Fletchling, use Quick Attack and make sure you don't get within Mankey's reach!" Kristine cautioned.

"Fletch!" Fletch dove down once more towards Mankey.

"Mankey, jump up and use Seismic Toss!" Liz responded.

Mankey had a good visual on Fletchling, and used his legs to propel him upwards. He then snatched Fletchling straight out of the air with his hands, and threw him with sheer force to the ground.

Fletchling slammed pretty hard to the ground, and struggled to get up.

"Fletchling!" Kristine yelled.

"Close in with Karate Chop!" Liz followed up.

Mankey charged at Fletchling with a raised, open hand.

Kristine smirked. Ever since Fletchling lost to Dragonair in the battle against Aria, she wanted him to learn how to get out of a situation like that, and since then, she found the perfect answer.

"Fletchling, use Flail!" she commanded.

Fletchling's beak glowed as he aimlessly attacked about. He dodged Mankey's initial Karate Chop, forcing the enraged pig monkey to chop away. The two were attacking while dodging the other's attacks, when finally, Fletchling struck Mankey right in the chest. One more strike to the chest knocked Mankey back.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

Fletchling swooped straight at Mankey as he struggled to get up. He flew backwards before tumbling over once.

"Mankey…" Mankey muttered as he was unable to get up.

"Mankey is unable to battle!" Jason declared. "Fletchling is the winner!"

Liz smirked. "Not bad."

"Fletchling!" Fletchling cheered, but he appeared to have taken considerable damage.

"Return, Fletchling!" Kristine took note and recalled him. Get some rest. Great effort out there."

"You too, Mankey," Liz recalled him. She then faced Kristine. "Since this isn't formal and all, I'm all down for doing a best of three rather than a full three on three battle."

"That works for me," Kristine nodded.

"Alright," Liz pulled out her second pokeball. "Purrloin, go!"

"Pikachu, showtime!" Kristine threw out hers, bringing out Pikachu.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu bounced forward.

"Purr," Purrloin greeted with a smirk on her face as she stood up. The dark violet feline pokemon with green eyes signaled Pikachu to attack her.

Jason pulled out his pokedex once more.

"Purrloin, the devious pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Its cute act is a ruse. When victims let down their guard, they find their items taken. It attacks with sharp claws."

"And it's a dark type," Jason muttered.

"Yeah, I caught this one stealing my stuff," Liz mentioned. "So I caught her. And since then, we get along great."

"Purrloin," Purrloin crossed her arms with a smirk.

"And she closed out the gym battle in style," Liz continued. "Don't let her cuteness fool you."

"Pikachu, let's use Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Pikachu charged at Purrloin head on.

Liz smirked. "Pursuit."

Purrloin also charged at Pikachu, running on all four legs. A shadowy streak trailed behind her, and as she converged on Pikachu, she dashed to the right almost as if she teleported and dashed again to strike Pikachu on the side. Pikachu tumbled over before getting back up.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" Kristine yelled.

"One of the few things quicker than Quick Attack is Pursuit," Liz explained. "Pursuit is a dark type's Quick Attack, and it's deceptive."

"We can be deceptive too, huh Pikachu?" Kristine replied.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, showing a determined look.

"Alright, Pikachu, go for Thunder Shock!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika-chuuuu!" Pikachu emitted a streak of electric energy at Purrloin.

"Dodge and use Pursuit again!" Liz responded.

Purrloin jumped out of the way of Thunder Shock, and charged at Pikachu once more.

"Use Double Team!" Kristine issued.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. Purrloin ran right through one of them.

"Use Fury Swipes to get at the real Pikachu!" Liz commanded.

With razor sharp, glowing claws, Purrloin slashed at copy after copy.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu emerged from behind Purrloin and fired a powerful electric ball from his tail. Purrloin turned around and embraced the attack. As Electro Ball struck her, currents rippled through her body. She got on one knee, having taken considerable damage, before getting right back up.

"You go, girl!" Liz commended. "Use Hone Claws to sharpen your attack!"

"Purrloin," Purrloin smirked as her claws glowed bright white.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Kristine had a plan. She knew Pursuit would be a direct counter.

"Pika Pika Pika!" Pikachu charged at Purrloin.

 _Knowing her, this clever girl has a ruse up her sleeve,_ Liz thought with a smirk on her face. _Okay, we fight fire with fire._

"Sand Attack!" Liz called.

Purrloin kicked up dirt right at Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu ran in blindly, his face covered in dirt.

"Now use Pursuit!" Liz followed up.

"Pikachu, dodge!" Kristine responded.

But since Pikachu could not see anything, Purrloin blindsided him with Pursuit, knocking him down.

"Pikachu, get up!" Kristine yelled.

"Purrloin, Fury Swipes!" Liz commanded.

"Purrloin!" Purrloin lunged at Pikachu, striking him repeatedly with swipe after swipe from her glowing claws.

Pikachu got up, but was unable to defend himself from the onslaught. He stumbled backwards before falling on his back, unable to get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Jason declared. "Purrloin is the winner!"

"Purrloin!" Purrloin smirked. Just then, she succumbed to paralysis, having suffered from Pikachu's Static. She fell on one knee as she struggled to move.

"Return, Pikachu," Kristine recalled him. "Great job out there."

Liz recalled Purrloin. "Good going, girl," she said.

Liz then faced Kristine. "Next battle wins the match!"

She pulled out her final pokemon. "Go, Charmander!"

"Charmander!" Charmander greeted as he was summoned.

"Espeon, showtime!" Kristine threw her last Pokeball.

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted with grace.

"Let's test the defenses, Charmander!" Liz commanded. "Use Ember!"

"Char!" Charmander blasted a ball of flame at Espeon.

"Espeon, use Swift!" Kristine called for the first time.

"Espeon!" Espeon channeled Psychic energy to project a volley of stars at Charmander's Ember. The stars collided as Espeon successfully fended off the attack.

"Quick attack!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon charged at Charmander.

"Smokescreen, Charmander!"

Charmander projected black smoke that surrounded him. As Espeon broke through, Charmander was nowhere to be found.

"Use Dragon Rage, Charmander!" Liz commanded.

Suddenly, a red energy ball flew right towards Espeon and struck her. Espeon was knocked back through the smoke, and tumbled once before standing on her four feet.

"Follow up with Scratch!" Liz issued.

Charmander leaped out of the smoke with glowing claws.

"Use Swift!" Kristine called.

Espeon quickly fired another volley of stars to knock Charmander back.

"Now use Confusion!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon and Charmander locked purple eyes. Charmander was flown into the air, right over Espeon, before being slammed back to the ground.

"Quick Attack, Espeon!" Kristine continued the assault.

Charmander got up, only to see that Espeon was coming right at him.

"Dragon Rage!" Liz yelled.

"Char!" Charmander let out a red energy ball at Espeon.

"Dodge and use Swift one more time!" Kristine called.

"Espeon!" Espeon jumped out of the way of Dragon Rage and fired another swift of stars.

"Smokescreen, Charmander!" Liz commanded. "Then use Ember!"

Charmander fired another smoke screen. The swift of stars went right through the smoke as small explosions then occurred. Then, a red ball of flame shot out of the smoke towards Espeon.

"Dodge!" Kristine responded.

Espeon jumped right from the attack.

"Use Scratch!" Liz smirked.

Charmander jumped right out of the smoke, at Espeon's flank. With his claws at the ready, he struck at Espeon, knocking her down.

"Now use Ember!" Liz continued.

"Char!" Charmander projected another ball of flame.

"Run underneath and use Quick Attack!" Kristine called.

Espeon ran with grace under the ball of flame, and lunged at Charmander.

"Dragon Rage, go!" Liz commanded.

Charmander let out another red energy ball. Espeon collided with it head on, sending her flying back. She tumbled over and over, and did not get up.

Jason was at first hesitant to call the battle, but he knew he had to.

"Sorry, Kristine," Jason looked at her before turning his head to Liz. "Espeon is unable to battle! Charmander wins!"

"Charmander!" Charmander cheered.

Kristine smiled. "Oh well, return, Espeon!" She recalled her. She then faced Liz as Liz recalled Charmander.

"To come to think of it, Espeon never lost a battle before," she said. "Other than once, when she was Eevee."

"It was a fun battle," Liz gave a nod. "You're a tough trainer, Kristine."

"And so are you," Kristine nodded back.

"So that's what I call a morning workout!" Liz added. "Anyways, if we're all heading in the same direction, mind if I tag along for a bit?"

"Fine with me," Jason replied.

"Cool," Liz acknowledged. "I say we get packing, yeah? The Lake's just a couple days away."

"Sure," Kristine replied.

Jason and Kristine packed up their tent and belongings as Liz did the same. Afterwards, Liz was the first one to hit the road.

"I think you've found your match when it comes to clever thinking," Jason muttered to Kristine.

"Yeah…" Kristine agreed. "Liz is good. Really good. We have to be better than her."

"Hey," Liz turned around to face the twins. "What's the holdup?"

"Nothing," Kristine gave a smile. "Let's head out!"

"Right with you!" Jason added.

The twins ventured down the road with Liz traveling alongside them, at least for the moment. With Kristine being defeated, Liz was placed as a high competitive threat on both Jason and Kristine's radars.

Still, there was a lot of adventuring left to do as the three proceeded closer to Lake Serenity. Jason and Kristine knew that while they would get better on their travels, so will their rivals, and it was going to take a lot of effort and dedication to truly rise to the top.


	12. Lake Serenity

"Well, take a look at that," Liz gazed into the distance.

"It's beautiful!" Kristine was in awe.

"So that's Lake Serenity…" Jason added.

The three had a perfect vantage point from a tree-covered hilltop under a sunny afternoon of a massive, pristine lake that was light blue in color. The waters seemed clean and pure, and it was a sight to behold.

"I think the pokemon lodge is nearby," Kristine mentioned. "The handbook said there's a nice big one here."

"Then lead the way!" Liz replied.

Kristine stepped forward and led Jason and Liz down the hill. Soon, they found a dirt trail leading to the lodge.

"Geez, that's a huge pokemon lodge!" Kristine took note, eyeing the four story pokemon lodge as she, Jason, and Liz approached it.

The three walked inside the lodge. They all gazed around the open lobby, where the floors and walls had a nice, wooden finish. The lobby itself was massive, with many lounging areas between the entrance and the aid station at the center. There were trainers and pokemon alike relaxing throughout the lobby.

"Hey, look!" shouted a familiar voice of a boy. "It's the twins!"

Julian walked over to Jason, Kristine, and Liz.

"Well well," added a female voice. Amanda emerged from a nearby couch and approached the twins as well.

"Good, you're here," Liz noted. "Now I caught up."

"I was wondering where you were," Amanda smirked. "Have you seen Bran?"

Liz shrugged.

"I last saw him in Route 103," Kristine spoke up.

"Hmm," Amanda pondered. "He might be behind us. Probably working on the Mystic Badge like Julian and I are."

Liz suddenly grinned. "Wait wait wait."

"What?" Amanda wondered what Liz was getting at. Then it clicked. "Oh no. Don't tell me."

Liz pulled out a case from the satchel on her back. She opened it to reveal the Mystic Badge on the upper left corner, with eleven open slots reserved for the other badges.

"You got the Mystic Badge…" Amanda sighed.

"Yes! I'm well ahead after all!" Liz cheered.

"Wait, you don't have it yet?" Jason asked.

"You mean you got it too?" Amanda seemed to be in despair.

"Me too," Kristine nodded.

"Oh geez…" Amanda looked down in shame.

"I don't think it's something to worry about," Kristine tried to cheer her up. "But if I may ask, what brings you this far up Route 104?"

"Lake Serenity is a great place to train, according to the handbook," Julian replied. "Both Amanda and I lost our battles to Aria, so we teamed up and came here, while training our pokemon along the way."

Amanda nodded. "Starly and Pidgey evolved into Staravia and Pidgeotto along the way too."

"We figured once we get in tip top shape, we'll double back to Fort Lexing together, beat Aria, and go our separate ways," Julian added. "We called it a mutual trainer's pact."

Julian turned to Jason. "Have you seen Alex lately?"

"Yeah, a few days ago," Jason replied. "He talked smack to me and my sister and headed off. He's probably in Saint Brandon by now."

"That's not cool," Amanda added.

"Alex is a jerk," Julian explained. "Always has been. Always will be. He thinks he's better than anyone else."

"No kidding," Kristine chimed in.

The five of them found a nice, cozy place to settle right next to a fireplace. Liz and Amanda sat across from each other in rocking chairs while Julian, Jason, and Kristine sat at the couch that faced them and the fireplace.

"So, how did you guys beat Aria?" Amanda asked. "Let's start with you, Liz."

"Come on now, do I have to tell secrets?" Liz chuckled.

"How did you get past Wobbuffet, at least?" Julian asked.

"Okay, okay," Liz leaned forward. "The trick to it, and I think twinboy and twingirl over here will agree with me, is this: Aria is smart enough to call for Destiny Bond ahead of time. One of your boys or girls is gonna have to take one for the team. Don't lose a pokemon until then."

"Twinboy?" Jason snickered.

"Twingirl?" Kristine joined in.

"What, you don't like 'em?" Liz asked.

"Eh," Kristine shrugged. "No one ever called us that."

"I can think of new nicknames, I suppose," Liz mentioned. "Anyways, the trick to beating Aria is you have to be creative. If you go standard on her, she will beat you. She tests your creativity and your ability to think on your feet."

"That's how I won, too," Kristine added. "Liz has a point. Dragonair is probably the easiest pokemon to face of the three, because she's newish to the battle scene. But that doesn't mean she's a pushover. The first battle in my match against Aria was Fletchling against Dragonair, and Dragonair won because Aria was able to call the right shots at the right time.

"I realized that and sent Pikachu out there. He defeated Dragonair and faced Wobbuffet. When I realized his tail is his weakness, Pikachu defeated him too, but not before Aria called Destiny Bond. So it was Espeon versus Vaporeon. I had to adapt to what Aria threw at me, and I came out as the winner."

"That's more or less how I won," Liz said. "Probably more or less how Jason won."

"Actually, no," Jason spoke up. "I followed that plan, but everything went south very quickly for me. Wobbuffet one hit KOed Taillow with a Counter."

"That's what happened to Pidgey," Julian added.

"So I sent out Ralts and played aggressively," Jason continued. "But Aria called Destiny Bond in advance. Ralts went down with Wobbuffet. So it was Jolteon versus Dragonair and Vaporeon."

"Did you lose and had a rematch with Aria?" Amanda asked.

"No," Jason simply replied. "I won."

"Wait, what?" Liz seemed intrigued.

"You won?" Julian was taken back.

"How?" Amanda seemed very surprised.

"You should have seen him," Kristine added. "He and Jolteon fought together like losing was never an option."

"I kept saying to myself that we cannot lose, we will not lose," Jason spoke. "And…we won," he lightly shrugged.

"That was your strategy?" Liz asked.

"To not lose? Yeah," Jason shrugged again. "I know you and Kristine think strategically. You have plans and know how to follow through with them. I guess I can do that too, but I had my back against the wall. There was no time to think, no time to strategize a plan. It was simply a matter of doing. So Jolteon came out blazing, and we took out Dragonair inside two minutes. Then we had a heated battle with Vaporeon. And…we simply won."

"Fighting one versus two and winning, that's incredible," Amanda replied. "Good job, Jason!"

Julian exchanged high fives with Jason at that moment.

Liz looked right at Jason. _I thought Kristine would be the better trainer,_ she wondered in her mind. _He has a winning attitude. I should watch out for him._

"Anyways," Liz got up. "We spent a whole day on the road. I'm gonna book myself a room and crash. Night, all."

"Goodnight," Kristine replied.

"Night," Jason added.

"See ya," Julian said.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" Amanda asked.

"Of course," Liz gave a nod. "It's Lake Serenity, and I'm ahead of the pack! I'm taking the day off."

Liz then departed from the gang, and walked towards the center of the lobby to book a room.

"I should be winding down for the night," Julian said.

"Same," Amanda added.

"Hey, would you like to hang out with us tomorrow?" Kristine asked.

"For sure!" Amanda replied. "I say we just relax and train."

"I'm always down to battle, too," Julian added. "I want my guys to be in top form against Aria. I have a really good feeling about our rematch."

"Have a good night, all!" Amanda got up and left.

"Yeah, see you guys tomorrow!" Julian did the same.

"Well, I guess we should book a room and chill out," Jason suggested.

Kristine nodded, and got up. "Let's take the morning off from training," she added. "Let's hop in the Lake and play with our pokemon instead."

"Okay, but only if I'm allowed to catch a magikarp."

"Uh, deal, though I wasn't going to prohibit you from doing that. I know you," Kristine smirked.

"Cool," Jason got up.

The two walked over to Nurse Joy at the center and received a key card for a room on the fourth floor. They were able to overlook the entire lobby from the walkway next to their room.

Inside, they were surprised to see how big the room was for a simple twin bed studio. The window overlooked Lake Serenity while the first thing Kristine did was examine the bathroom. When she saw the whirlpool inside, she immediately locked and shut the door for her own privacy. She intended to undress and jump in immediately.

"Okay then," Jason smirked, and walked over to the couch in the middle of the room. He sat down and extended his legs to the other side, while he turned on the television.

"We bring you a live feed from the Jhoto Regionals!" said the voice of the sportscaster. "We are underway in the very first round, and we have a battle between two first-timers, Hiro Hatsura and Himari Matamoto!"

Jason witnessed the three-on-three battle unfold. The boy, Hiro, used Rhypherior as his first pokemon, while the girl, Himari, used Scizzor. The two pokemon battled hand to hand, with neither side giving in. About ten minutes later, Rhypherior pummeled Scizzor to the ground with his horn.

"Scizzor is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Rhypherior wins!"

"Wow, this is intense," Jason muttered to himself. "Almost all of our battles, save for Jolteon's battle against Vaporeon, lasted no longer than three or four minutes."

The girl then brought out a kingdra, a water and dragon pokemon.

"And then we have Kingdra, the dragon pokemon!" the announcer added.

The intensity and developments of the battle hooked Jason further in. A few minutes later, Kingdra was able to take down Rhypherior by landing Hydro Pump directly, blasting him across the field.

"That was a sweet move," Jason added.

The boy then brought out a feraligatr, a fearsome crocodile-like pokemon who could stand on two feet. It was another several minutes before Feraligatr took down Kingdra using Ice Punch.

"How much time has passed?" Jason pondered. "Twenty five, maybe?"

The girl brought out her last pokemon, Dustox, a pokemon that looked like a giant moth. It took several more minutes, but Feraligatr managed to get the upper hand, and defeated Dustox with another Ice Punch. That meant the boy went to the second round, and the girl's run at the Johto Regionals came to an abrupt end.

"Imagine getting those badges and qualifying for the tournament," Jason muttered to himself. "Only to truly matter for thirty minutes before you lose."

"Huh?" Jason heard Kristine's voice behind him.

Jason, startled, turned around to face his sister. She had wet, draped hair and wore a towel that covered her entire torso.

"They had live footage of a battle going on in Jhoto," Jason replied. "It was only the first round."

"Oh wow," Kristine looked at the screen. "Oh my, the girl looks devastated. Imagine going through all that hard work just to lose in the first round."

"That was just what I was thinking," Jason replied.

"When we get there, let's totally not lose in the first round," Kristine smirked, referring to the first round of the Inventum Cup.

"Right with you," Jason smirked back.

The two headed off to bed and managed to get in a good night's rest. The next morning, they got up, but instead of putting on their usual trainer's gear, they put on their bathing suits. Kristine had a two-piece green bikini, and wore white capris, while Jason wore a black bathing suit with a white t-shirt. They still put on their pokeball belts before heading out the door.

At the lobby, they met Julian, Amanda, and Liz, who all waited for them.

"What took you so long?" Liz asked. "It's time to head out and do nothing!"

"I got work to do first!" Jason said before he bolted out the door.

"What's he up to?" Julian asked Kristine.

"He wants a magikarp," Kristine replied.

"On that thought, I got some work to do too," Amanda added before bolting out the door with Jason.

"What's she up to?" Julian asked.

"I've been to that girl's house once, before we became trainers," Liz added. "She's got a giant milotic plush and several art pieces of milotic in her room. I think she's getting a feebas, or the Regal Milotic that lives deep in the water. Means she'll have two water types on her team, but eh, if she can make it work then more power to her."

"Is it true that the Regal Milotic lives in here?" Julian asked. "There's no actual proof."

"I suppose it's as real as the Crimson Gyarados living in Lake Sol," Liz added.

"Jason's a firm believer of the Crimson Gyarados living in Lake Sol," Kristine replied.

"Well, should we head out?" Liz suggested.

"Might as well," Kristine replied.

Kristine, Liz, and Julian headed out the back of the pokemon lodge and proceeded towards the lake. They all smelt the crisp, clean air as they looked around the many trainers and pokemon relaxing about.

"Well, I think we should release our pokemon," Kristine said. "Come join the fun, Espeon, Pikachu, and Fletchling!"

"Turtwig, Pidgeotto, Pancham! Come on out!" Julian joined in.

"You too, Charmander, Mankey, and Purrloin!" Liz did the same.

With their pokemon out, Julian took off his shirt, while Kristine took off her capris, and Liz took off her shirt, revealing a red bikini.

"Well, I'm going for a swim!" Julian said as he ran towards the water with his pokemon right behind him.

"I'm gonna chill," Liz said, as she began to place a towel beneath her.

"I think I'm going to do the same," Kristine added.

The two were on their backs as they soaked in the sun. Their pokemon played as they ran all around Kristine and Liz.

Meanwhile, Jason and Amanda took off their shirts, revealing Amanda's blue two-piece bikini, before running into the water with empty pokeballs at the ready.

"The water is so clear here!" Amanda said. "We have to find magikarp and feebas nearby!"

Just then, a magikarp swam by the two.

"A magikarp!" Jason went after it. "Good luck, Amanda!"

"Yeah, you too!" Amanda replied. She then saw a school of feebas swimming nearby. "Feebas!" she swam towards them.

Jason approached and followed Magikarp.

"Hey Magikarp!" he yelled. "Why don't you come join me and become the Gyarados you always wanted to be!"

Magikarp turned around. This caught his attention.

"Wow, that actually worked?" Jason muttered.

Suddenly, Magikarp swam at Jason's direction at full speed. It was intending to use Tackle. He jumped out of the air at Jason. "Karp Karp Karp Karp Karp!"

Jason ducked as Magikarp flew over him. Magikarp then submerged and attempted to communicate to him.

"Karp karp karp karp magikarp!" Magikarp demanded.

"Do you want me to fight you?" Jason asked.

Just then, one of his pokeballs opened up. Jolteon forced himself out, ready to go at Magikarp.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Jolteon?" Jason wondered how Jolteon could get out like that.

Magikarp gave a nod of approval before charging at Jolteon.

"Careful Jolteon, he can move fast in the water. You can't!" Jason cautioned.

Jolteon then gave a nod at Jason, and faced Magikarp. "JOLT-EON!" he projected Thunder Shock.

The Thunder Shock zapped Magikarp, but it didn't stop there. The currents rippled through the water.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon barked before Magikarp, who was unable to battle.

"Uh, okay," Jason shrugged. He threw an empty pokeball at Magikarp, who became bound to it without resistance.

"Alright, we got ourselves Magikarp!" Jason cheered. He then recalled Jolteon. "Come on back, Jolteon!" he then swam towards the shore.

As he sat foot on land, Amanda swam towards him. After setting foot, she walked up to him.

"So an electric current stopped the school of Feebas," Amanda said with a huge grin on her face. "And I caught a feebas! A feebas! I'm so excited!"

"Well, congratulations!" Jason smiled. "I just got myself Magikarp. I think we're going to have some very strong Pokemon here."

"Feebas will be great for my team!" Amanda added. "Once I train her to become Milotic, of course."

"They say Gyarados is a testament to a trainer's abilities," Jason mentioned. "I'm up to the challenge."

"I'm going to find the others," Amanda spoke. "I'm gonna get some sun!"

"Sounds good," Jason said as Amanda departed.

Jason looked at Magikarp's pokeball.

"Welcome to the team," he said. "You may not be able to do much now, but I'm going to spend time with you like I do with the other pokemon. And in time, you'll become Gyarados, one of the most fearsome pokemon around. If that is what you truly want to become, I promise to help you along the way."

He then walked back towards the others. When he got back, he saw that Kristine, Amanda, and Liz were all on their backs getting tans. He had to avoid Pikachu and Purrloin who were chasing eachother around, and ducked from the swooping Fletchling and Staravia.

"Looks like you're all on vacation," Jason chuckled.

"Welcome to paradise," Liz replied.

"Sweet, sweet paradise," Amanda added.

"So, did you catch Magikarp?" Kristine asked.

"Yep," Jason proudly replied.

"Awesome," Kristine rolled on her stomach. "I'm just gonna lay here and relax for a bit."

Jason snickered. "Sounds good, sis. I think I'm going into the water."

"Hey Jason!" Julian yelled from the distance. He was in the water with his pokemon. "Send your guys out and let's have some fun!"

"Sounds good to me!" Jason ran over and summoned Jolteon, Taillow, and Ralts.

After entering the water, he let out Magikarp.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp greeted.

"Magikarp, I want to introduce you to Ralts, Taillow, and Jolteon," Jason said. "Everyone, this is Magikarp, the newest member of the team."

All four Pokemon exchanged greetings.

Magikarp then swam up to Jason and offered him to grab his fin. Jason grabbed a hold of it as Magikarp gently swam around.

"Well, look at that," Julian seemed intrigued. "I almost want to get myself a magikarp so we can have a magikarp race."

Just then, Taillow and Pidgeotto were flying through the winds side by side, as if they were competing against eachother.

"I guess those two are already racing," Julian chuckled.

* * *

Meanwhile, the three girls continued to sunbathe under a clear sky.

"Hey, Kristine?" Amanda spoke.

"Yeah?" Kristine tilted her head towards Amanda's direction.

"Do you want to have a pokemon battle?" Amanda casually asked.

All Pokemon stopped themselves at that moment.

"Sure," Kristine casually replied before slowly getting up.

Amanda was also slow to get up. "Okay. Does three on three sound good?"

Kristine nodded.

"I guess I'll ref," Liz stretched her arms and legs before getting up.

Kristine and Amanda took ten paces in opposite directions to simulate a field. Kristine's pokemon ran beside her, as Amanda's pokemon did the same.

* * *

"Hey look," Julian pointed out. "Your sister's battling Amanda."

Jason had Magikarp steer him over towards Julian. "They were sunbathing just a minute ago," he said. "Now they're battling?"

"Eh," Julian shrugged. "Women."

* * *

"So, who wants to go first?" Liz asked.

"I will," Kristine replied. She then looked at Pikachu. "You ready to go?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded. He then hopped forward.

"Then Amanda makes the first move," Liz continued.

Amanda looked at Ledyba. "Do you want to battle Pikachu?"

"Ledy!" Ledyba nodded and hovered forward.

Amanda then looked at Kristine. "All of my pokemon are at a disadvantage to Pikachu. But I'm gonna put up a fight, at least."

She turned back to Ledyba. "Supersonic, let's go!"

"Double Team, Pikachu!" Kristine responded.

"Pika!" Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. Ledyba's Supersonic fizzled three of the copies.

"Use Comet Punch on Double Team!" Amanda commanded.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

As Ledyba punched copy after copy, Pikachu blindsided her with Quick Attack, knocking her down.

"Now use Thunder Shock!" Kristine commanded.

"Light Screen!" Amanda reacted.

Ledyba projected a barrier in front of her, taking minimal impact from Pikachu's Thunder Shock. Light Screen riddled in a rainbow pattern as it took the brunt of the attack.

"Charge in with Mach Punch, let's go!" Amanda issued.

"Ledyba!" Ledyba charged in with fists at the ready.

"Dodge, Pikachu!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu attempted to dive out of the way, but Ledyba was moving too fast. She flew right at Pikachu and struck him directly with Mach Punch. The force behind it was so powerful that it flew Pikachu back a considerable distance.

"Mach Punch once more, let's do it!" Amanda followed up.

"Ledyba!" Ledyba took off towards Pikachu once again.

Pikachu managed to get up, only to see Ledyba come right at him.

"Okay, then," Kristine responded. "Pikachu, Electro Ball!"

"Pika-chu!" Pikachu hurled Electro Ball from his tail.

With Ledyba charging Pikachu head-on, she was struck by Electro Ball. She hit the ground and tumbled backwards before struggling to get up.

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Kristine continued the offensive.

"Dodge it, quickly!" Amanda responded.

Ledyba narrowly spiraled away from Thunder Shock.

"Use Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

"Use Mach Punch one more time!" Amanda yelled.

Pikachu and Ledyba charged at eachother one more time.

"Pikachu, Double Team!" Kristine changed her call.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. Ledyba soared through one of them.

"Now, Thunder Shock!" Kristine commanded.

Pikachu emitted a bolt of electricity at Ledyba, effectively striking her. She fell to the ground, unable to get up.

"Ledyba is unable to battle!" Liz declared. "Pikachu is the winner!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

Ledyba managed to get up a moment later as she hovered to Amanda.

"You did well, Ledyba!" Amanda commended.

"Ledyba!" Ledyba nodded.

Amanda looked at Staravia with a smirk, then nodded.

"Staravia!" Staravia flew forward.

"Staravia, huh?" Kristine smirked. "Okay, Pikachu, get ready!"

"Quick Attack, Staravia!" Amanda commanded.

"Staravia!" Staravia charged at Pikachu.

"Double Team!" Kristine responded.

Pikachu once again projected multiple copies of himself. Staravia flew right through one of them.

"Now use Thunder Shock!" Kristine called.

"Double Team, Staravia!" Amanda smirked.

Staravia also projected multiple copies of herself. Thunder Shock fizzled three of the copies.

"Now dive down with Wing Attack!" Amanda followed up.

"Staravia!" Staravia's wings glowed as she dove down. She struck Pikachu head on, sending him flying back.

Pikachu struggled to stand on both feet.

"Now Tackle!" Amanda issued.

Staravia swooped upon Pikachu once more, hitting him with sheer force. Pikachu tumbled over and over, and when he stopped, he couldn't get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Liz declared. "Staravia is the winner!"

"Pika…." Pikachu struggled to get up two moments later.

"Pikachu!" Kristine said, walking over to him. "You did great. Have a seat."

Kristine walked back alongside Pikachu.

"Okay, Fletchling, you're up!" Kristine looked at Fletchling.

"Fletch!" Fletchling hopped forward.

"Staravia!" Staravia greeted. She then took to the skies.

Fletchling accepted the challenge, and did the same.

"A sky battle," Amanda said.

"Fletchling, use Agility!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchling began to fly around Staravia at amazing speeds.

* * *

"Well, there's a heated battle going on," Julian noted, as he and Jason observed the battle from the lake. "There's nothing like a couple of babes in bikinis battling it out, right?"

"You do realize one of them is my sister, right?" Jason rolled his eyes.

"Come on, man!" Julian laughed. "It's a compliment. Would you get mad if I called your sister ugly?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Well, she's not. She's pretty."

"Um…okay."

* * *

"Now use Wing Attack!" Kristine called.

"Double Team, Staravia!" Amanda responded.

Staravia projected multiple copies of itself once more. Fletchling took out copy after copy left and right.

"Now let's use Quick Attack!" Amanda commanded.

"Fletchling, use Flail!" Kristine responded.

As Staravia charged at Fletchling, Fletchling began flapping its wings. When Staravia closed in, Fletchling's beak glowed as he flailed forwards, striking Staravia head on. Staravia spiraled down, but was able to gather herself.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling chirped. Suddenly, he became consumed by a white glow.

Jason saw it unfold from his vantage point. He saw that white glow that turned his Eevee into Jolteon. He saw that same white glow that evolved Kristine's Eevee into Espeon.

Kristine knew what that was, and so did Julian and Amanda.

"Your Fletchling is evolving!" Amanda gasped.

"Fletchling…" Kristine gazed upon the shining glow.

The glow fizzled away, but a larger avian bird emerged. It had orange and black plumage with a sharp black beak and a small, pointed crest on top of his head. Its face and back is dark orange, while the underside is predominantly white in a flame pattern. With its long tail-feathers with two white v-shaped streaks, this Pokemon appeared to be more intimidating than its predecessor.

"Fletchinder!" the pokemon screeched.

"Fletchinder…" Kristine muttered. She pulled out her pokedex.

"Fletchinder, the Ember Pokemon," the Pokedex explained. "The hotter the flame sac on its belly, the faster it can fly, but it takes some time to get the fire going."

"So it's a fire and flying type," Kristine observed.

"Well, congratulations, Kristine," Amanda commended. "Now Staravia, Quick Attack!"

Fletchinder responded by spitting out a ball of flame at Staravia, knocking her out of the sky.

"Fletchinder knows Ember!" Kristine noted excitedly. "Okay Fletchinder, use Wing Attack!"

Fletchinder swooped down upon Staravia, and struck her with his glowing wings. Staravia crashed and tumbled to the ground.

"Now let's go for Quick Attack!" Kristine followed up.

Fletchinder dove towards Staravia, and struck her one more time with Quick Attack. Staravia was thrown backwards, and was unable to get up.

"Staravia is unable to battle!" Liz declared. "Fletchinder wins!"

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder cheered.

Staravia got up a moment later.

"Good job, Staravia!" Amanda encouraged her.

Staravia flew by Amanda's side.

"Okay, Squirtle!" Amanda looked at her starter pokemon. "You got this!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle stepped forward.

* * *

"So, Fletchling evolved into Fletchinder," Jason observed.

"Congrats to your sister," Julian replied.

Suddenly, a rain cloud formed over the two, and it began to rain.

"Woah now," Jason looked around, startled.

"Hey," Julian laughed. "Well, isn't this awesome? I love swimming during rain."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "But who's using Rain Dance and where?"

"You got a point," Julian pondered.

"Hey," Liz glanced over at Jason and Julian's direction. "Did one of their Pokemon use Rain Dance or something?"

"Jason doesn't have anyone who can use Rain Dance," Kristine recalled.

"I haven't seen Julian use it at all," Amanda added.

"Well, that's strange," Liz said. "But it is cool to see a little rain cloud over there when it's all warm and sunny over here."

Meanwhile, Magikarp became playful under the rain, zigzagging Jason around.

"Hey there, Magikarp!" Jason laughed. "It's just a little bit of rain."

"Your Magikarp must know Swift Swim!" Julian said. "His speed goes way up under the rain. I think it wants to show off its fast speed."

"Okay," Jason smirked. "Magikarp, let's see how fast you can go!"

"Karp!" Magikarp complied. He then bolted at lightning fast velocity with Jason holding onto him.

* * *

"Geez," Kristine looked on. "Look at Magikarp go."

* * *

"Karp karp karp karp karp!" Magikarp kept going deeper into the lake.

"Okay, Magikarp!" Jason yelled, trying to get Magikarp's attention. "You're very fast! You can stop now!"

"Karp karp karp karp karp!" Magikarp didn't hear him. Instead, he dove down, taking Jason with him.

Jason knew he was about to be in trouble. Magikarp kept diving downwards, yet Jason didn't want to let go. He tried to remain calm, but he knew he might not make it back up on his own without Magikarp's assistance.

But Magikarp kept diving down, so Jason had to make a decision. He let go of Magikarp and attempted to swim back up.

* * *

"Oh my gosh…" Kristine gasped, and walked towards the lake. "Jason!"

"Did Magikarp just take a dive with him? Liz asked.

"It appears so," Amanda replied.

* * *

"Oh man," Julian looked on. He turned to his and Jason's pokemon. "Be on the lookout for him!"

Jason tried to swim upwards, where the rain splashed against the lake. It was a beautiful sight to behold, he thought.

Suddenly, he heard an elegant sound wave from the distance. It was as if an underwater creature was singing. The sound was soothing to him, but he knew he had to get back up. His body began to demand for air, and he tried to swim back up as fast as possible.

Then, he heard the elegant music again. A massive sea creature appeared in front of Jason from a distance, and it approached him. It appeared to project an air bubble towards him, and he swam for it.

As soon as Jason entered the bubble, he could breathe again. That was when he saw the regal sea creature swim around him, singing ever so beautifully.

"Milotic…" Jason muttered. He witnessed in awe as the creature made two passes around him. This one had a cream colored body with light blue antennae like extensions from its eyelashes, and had light blue hair-like fins extending down its head. It had a golden tail, and its black eyes gleamed with beauty.

"Karp karp karp karp karp!" Magikarp came back to Jason.

"Let's get back, Magikarp," Jason said to him. "My sister probably thinks I'm dead, right now."

"Karp karp karp karp karp!"

Jason didn't want to leave that moment. It was absolutely breathtaking to be able to breathe deep in the middle of Lake Serenity, with the rain pouring down from above, and to see such an elegant creature so rare that he thought it might as well be a legendary pokemon.

But he had to leave. He knew for sure that his sister and friends above would believe something terrible happened to him. So he grabbed Magikarp, as the red fish swam upwards to the surface.

"He's been under there for too long!" Kristine yelled. She ran into the water and looked towards Julian. "Do something!" she yelled at him.

"I'm trying!" Julian yelled back. "Our pokemon are searching everywhere!"

Suddenly, Jason and Magikarp emerged from the distance as they approached the shoreline.

"Just a heads up, Magikarp," Jason warned his pokemon. "We're going to get a stern talking-to from Kristine."

"I see him!" Julian yelled. He waved over at Jason. "He's fine!"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Kristine was relieved. She feared the absolute worst for a moment.

Magikarp guided Jason to the shore, bypassing Julian. Julian and his and Jason's pokemon all followed him to the shore.

"Karp Karp Karp Karp Karp!" Magikarp dropped Jason off at the shore.

Jason slowly walked onto the shore, only to be met with he absolute fury that is his twin sister.

"YOU KNUCKLEHEAD!" She yelled as she stormed up to him and gave him a shove. "I THOUGHT YOU DIED OUT THERE!"

"AND YOU!" she sternly pointed at Magikarp. That in itself intimidated him. "HUMANS DON'T HAVE GILLS. THEY CAN'T BREATHE UNDERWATER. DON'T EVER DO THAT TO MY BROTHER AGAIN!"

"Karp," Magikarp appeared to be ashamed of himself.

"Hey, sis?" Jason tried to get her attention.

"WHAT?" Kristine roared, and faced his direction.

"I'm sorry I put you through that," Jason calmly replied. "But I saw the Regal Milotic down there."

"You…what?" Kristine calmed down.

"I saw her," Jason continued. "She exists. And she is the most beautiful Pokemon I've ever seen."

"You saw the Regal Milotic?" Liz seemed intrigued.

"That would explain Rain Dance," Julian added.

"That must've been something," Amanda was taken back.

"Just…" Kristine put her hands on Jason's shoulders. "We lost Dad two years ago. I can't lose my twin. Please please please be careful next time, okay?"

Jason gave her sister a hug. "I promise," he said. "You won't lose me."

Kristine stepped backwards with a smile of reassurance. "Good."

"Well, I say we call a rain check on our battle," Amanda said, moved by the twins' conversation.

"Sounds good to me," Liz gave a nod.

Julian walked towards the gang. "Jason, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jason replied.

"You're not seriously hurt," Kristine examined him.

"Milotic gave me an air bubble," Jason explained. "That's why I was underwater for so long."

"Doesn't she know that there were people worried sick up here?" Kristine took a step towards the lake.

"Hey now," Jason tried to calm her down. "It's not her fault. You don't need to scare her, do you?"

"Fine, she's spared from my wrath," Kristine turned around, crossing her arms.

"Hey!" Amanda spoke up. "Let's continue to have some fun! I think we can all enjoy a nice big dinner!"

"Well, whenever there's food involved, I can help in making it," Kristine added.

"All that swimming made me hungry," Julian said.

"Me too," Jason chimed in.

"I can go for some grub," Liz said.

The gang prepared a big dinner on the shoreline of Lake Serenity under the sunset. Afterwards, they recalled their Pokemon and relaxed in the Lodge at night. Jason and Kristine had plans to continue onto Route 105, putting them just a few days away from Saint Brandon. Liz, Amanda, and Julian were undecided about their immediate plans, but a lot can happen overnight regarding decision making. The twins would just have to find out who they will be traveling with tomorrow morning.


	13. Darklight Cave

The twins got up the next morning. They quickly got dressed for the day and packed up for another day of adventuring. As they headed into the lobby, they saw Liz grabbing the complimentary breakfast.

"Hey," Liz greeted them.

"Morning!" Kristine greeted back. "Jason and I are heading back on the road towards Saint Brandon. Do you want to tag along with us?"

"I think I'll stay here for another day," Liz replied. "Knowing that I'm ahead of Amanda and Bran at this point, I can chill and train my Pokemon up for the Tranquility Gym."

"Keeping one step ahead of the competition, huh?" Jason chuckled.

"I guess you can say that," Liz smirked. "But you two are my competition too. You're probably gonna go to Saint Brandon and get yourselves the Tranquility Badge inside five days, but I'm sure I'll be right behind ya."

"Okay," Kristine gave a nod. "Well, we'll be heading back out. I suppose we'll be seeing you again soon?"

"You bet," Liz replied. "I think I may want a shot at Jason the next time we meet."

"I look forward to it," Jason smirked.

"Anyways," Liz walked back to the food. "I'm hungry. Later, guys!"

"Good luck!" Kristine waved.

The twins left the pokemon lodge and headed on the dirt path that would take them to the main road. There, they saw Julian and Amanda doing an inventory count before heading out.

"Hey guys!" Kristine greeted as she approached the two. "What are you up to?"

"Hey, Kristine," Amanda smiled. "We're getting ready to head back to Fort Lexing. We've spent enough time here, and I think it's time to challenge Aria again."

"That's cool," Jason replied. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," Julian added. "But there's one thing I like to do before we leave."

Julian had a big smirk on his face, and he pulled out a pokeball. "Jason, we have to battle."

Jason accepted the challenge. "It's on!"

"Does a standard three on three sound good?" Julian asked.

"Sure does!" Jason nodded.

The two took ten steps backwards to simulate the battle floor.

"I guess we can be the refs!" Kristine said as she and Amanda stood at the edge of the center of the field.

"Okay, Jason!" Julian faced him. "You go first!"

Jason pulled out his first Pokeball. "Okay then," he had the face of determination. "Let's go, Ralts!"

"Ralts!" Ralts bowed her head as she was summoned.

"Okay, Pancham, you're up!" Julian responded, sending out Pancham.

"Pancham!" the panda-like pokemon stood there with his arms crossed, smirking while chewing on his left on the corner of his mouth.

"Julian makes the first move!" Amanda said.

"Let the battle begin!" Kristine added.

"Pancham, use Work Up!" Julian commanded.

"Pancham!" Pancham flexed his muscles, keeping himself pumped up.

"Ralts, Magical Leaf!" Jason responded.

"Ralts!" Ralts used telekinesis to raise sharp leaves into the air and hurl them at Pancham.

"Dodge, Pancham!" Julian yelled.

Pancham jumped out of the way of Ralts' Magical Leaf.

"Charge Ralts and use Slash!" Julian followed up.

"Pancham!" Pancham ran at Ralts with his paws at the ready.

"Ralts, Confusion!" Jason issued.

"Ralts!" Ralts raised her hands. Pancham's eyes became purple, and he was tossed into the air. Ralts then slammed Pancham back down through telekinesis.

"Get in there with Comet Punch!" Julian continued the attack, seeing that Pancham was quick to get up.

"Ralts, Magical Leaf!" Jason responded.

"Ralts!" Ralts fired another barrage of leaves at Pancham.

"Punch through those leaves, Pancham!" Julian kept up the momentum.

Pancham used Comet Punch to repeatedly punch through the leaves, effectively fending off the attack.

"Close in with Karate Chop!" Julian followed up.

"Pancham!" Pancham jumped into the air and lunged at Ralts with an open fist.

"Double Team, quick!" Jason commanded.

Ralts projected multiple copies of herself. Pancham sliced through one of those copies just a second later.

"Comet Punch, let's go!" Julian yelled.

Pancham rapidly punched through Ralts' copies.

"Ralts, Confusion!" Jason issued.

Ralts revealed herself from behind Pancham, and once again, Pancham's eyes turned purple. He was tossed into the air before being slammed back to the ground through telekinesis. He struggled to get up, and he appeared to be dazed and confused.

"Pancham!" Julian yelled. "Snap out of it!"

"Fighting types are as a disadvantage to psychic types like Ralts," Jason smirked. "Ralts, let's finish this with Magical Leaf!"

"Ralts!" Ralts fired one more barrage of leaves at Pancham. He was struck by the flurry of sharp leaves as he stumbled backwards and fell down, unable to get up.

"Pancham is unable to battle!" Amanda declared.

"Ralts is the winner!" Kristine added.

"Ralts!" Ralts took an elegant bow.

"Good going, Ralts!" Jason commended.

"Return, Pancham!" Julian recalled him. "Ralts was a hard matchup for you. You did fine."

He then faced Jason. "Let's see how Ralts can handle this! Go, Pidgeotto!"

"Pidgeotto!" the bird Pokemon chirped as he was summoned.

"Pidgeotto, let's use Quick Attack!" Julian commanded.

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto took to the sky and charged at Ralts.

"Double Team!" Jason responded.

Ralts projected multiple copies of herself. Pidgeotto flew through one of them.

"Pidgeotto, use Twister!" Julian followed up.

Pidgeotto flapped his wings, projecting a horizontal twister that ripped right through Ralts' projections. The real Ralts just stood there, embracing the Twister.

"Ralts is just standing there like nothing's happening," Julian seemed puzzled.

Jason smirked. "Ralts is also a fairy type. Fairy types are immune to dragon type moves, like Twister."

"Can't believe Twister is considered a dragon move," Julian muttered.

The Twister soon dissipated.

"Ralts, use Magical Leaf!" Jason commanded.

Ralts fired another barrage of leaves.

"Use Gust to fend it off!" Julian responded.

Pidgeotto flapped his wings once more, this time projecting a vertical gust of wind that sucked up all the leaves.

"Confusion!" Jason followed up.

"Use Sand Attack now!" Julian quickly issued.

Ralts began to wave her arms when Pidgeotto quickly swooped in and used his wings to kick up dirt, covering Ralt's entire body with dirt and sand.

This forced Ralts to lose her concentration.

"Good!" Julian acknowledged. "Now use Quick Attack!"

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto charged Ralts, striking her and sending her flying back.

Ralts was quick to get back up.

"Ralts, Heal Pulse!" Jason commanded.

"Ralts!" Ralts waved her hands as a light blue aura pulsated in front of her. Using telekinesis, she pulled the aura towards her, enveloping herself within. She was able to heal some of the damage done to her.

"Hmm…" Julian was pondering what to do. "I think I know the answer to Ralts," he said. "Return, Pidgeotto!"

Julian recalled Pidgeotto, and sent out his third pokemon. "Come on out, Turtwig!"

"Turtwig!" the Grass type Pokemon was ready to battle.

"Ralts, you're doing great so far!" Jason commended. "Do you want to continue?"

Ralts faced Jason and nodded.

"Okay, let's do this!" Jason acknowledged.

"Turtwig, Razor Leaf!" Julian commanded.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig used the leaf on his head to project razor sharp leaves aimed at Ralts.

"Double Team!" Jason responded.

Ralts projected multiple copies of herself. Turtwig's Razor Leaf soon tore through those copies.

"Turtwig, Tackle!" Julian followed up.

Turtwig charged at Ralts.

"Confusion!" Jason issued.

Suddenly, Turtwig's eyes turned purple as he was flown into the air by Ralts' telekinesis. He then slammed back to the ground.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig hopped back up.

"Turtwig, Absorb!" Julian commanded.

Ralts suddenly fell on one knee as an orb of energy was sucked right out of her. It was absorbed right into Turtwig's leaf.

"Now Razor Leaf once more!" Julian commanded.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig hurled a barrage of leaves.

"Magical Leaf, Ralts!" Jason commanded.

The two projected barrages of leaves collided with eachother, but Turtwig's Razor Leaf broke through, powering through Magical Leaf and striking Ralts head on.

"Ralts!" Ralts fell backwards.

"Now let's finish this with Bite!" Julian followed up.

Turtwig rushed at Ralts, biting her arm hard and tossing her across the field. She tumbled twice before falling flat on her stomach, unable to get up.

"Ralts is unable to battle!" Kristine declared.

"Turtwig is the winner!" Amanda added.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig cheered.

"Return, Ralts!" Jason recalled her. "You did excellent out there. You took on Julian's entire team all by yourself! Leave it to the rest of us."

"Your Ralts is quite powerful," Julian commended. "Just wait until she evolves."

Jason grinned. "I look forward to it." He then pulled out his second pokeball. "Go, Taillow!"

"Taillow!" Taillow chirped as he bounced forward.

"Return, Turtwig!" Julian responded. "Go, Pidgeotto!"

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto took to the sky as soon as he was summoned.

"Follow him, Taillow!" Jason commanded. "And use Quick Attack!"

"Taillow!" Taillow soared after Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeotto, use Gust!" Julian responded.

Pidgeotto turned around and used his wings to project a gust of wind at Taillow.

"Dodge it!" Jason yelled.

Taillow steered out of the way of Pidgeotto's Gust.

"Now use Twister!" Julian followed up.

Pidgeotto projected a vortex that sucked Taillow right into its influence.

"Taillow, get out of there!" Jason yelled.

Taillow was unable to escape Twister.

"Now use Quick Attack to knock her out of the sky!" Julian commanded.

Pidgeotto soared into his own vortex and struck Taillow, sending her pummeling down to the ground below.

"Oh no!" Jason was concerned.

"Taillow…" Taillow was slow to get up, but she was dazed from Pidgeotto's Twister. She was intimidated by Pidgeotto's presence above.

"Use Gust one more time!" Julian issued.

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto flapped his wings, enveloping Taillow into a gust of wind. She was tossed aside, struggling to stand back up.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Julian wanted to finish this.

Pidgeotto swooped in and struck Taillow, sending her flying back. She was unable to get up.

And it seemed that Julian had the upper hand all of a sudden.

"Taillow is unable to battle!" Kristine declared.

"Pidgeotto wins!" Amanda added.

"Good job, Pidgeotto!" Julian cheered.

He then faced Jason. "Now, let's see this comeback kid we've heard about the other day."

"Alright, then," Jason smirked. He recalled Taillow. "You did your best out there," he said.

He pulled out his final pokeball. "We're not going to lose, Jolteon!" he yelled. "Let's go!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon charged at Pidgeotto.

"Thunder Shock!" Jason shouted.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon fired a bolt at Pidgeotto.

"Dodge it!" Julian yelled.

Pidgeotto was quick to dodge Thunder Shock, but he barely managed to do so.

"Swift! Knock him out the sky!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon fired a swift of stars aimed at Pidgeotto.

"Use Gust!" Julian responded.

Pidgeotto projected a gust of wind that diverted Jolteon's Swift, sending the stars left and right, passing right by him.

"Twister!" Julian yelled.

Pidgeotto projected another horizontal vortex.

"Quick attack! Now!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon ran right through the vortex at lightning fast speed, before the vortex was able to solidify into a threatening attack. He struck Pidgeotto head on, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Thunder Shock!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon projected a bolt of electric energy at Pidgeotto, effectively shocking him. Pidgeotto smashed to the ground, and as the smoke cleared, it was obvious that he was unable to get up.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" Amanda declared.

"Jolteon is the winner!" Kristine added. "Good job, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Hey, I think we're getting the hang of this," Amanda mentioned.

"We make good referee partners," Kristine replied.

"Return, Pidgeotto!" Julian recalled him. "Excellent job!"

He faced Jason. "Okay," he gave a nod. "I see why it's inadvisable to pin you against a wall, because you're just going to throw more punches."

"Jolteon and I have plenty left in the tank!" Jason replied.

 _And Turtwig already took a hit,_ Julian thought. "Let's finish this, Turtwig!"

Julian threw out Turtwig's Pokeball.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig roared, ready to go.

"Turtwig, Razor Leaf, let's go!" Julian commanded.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig projected razor sharp leaves at Jolteon.

"Let's use Swift!" Jason responded.

Jolteon fired a volley of stars, colliding with Razor Leaf head on. Both moves cancelled eachother out as small explosions rippled throughout the middle of the field.

"Quick Attack!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon leaped forward and ran through the smoke. He emerged from it, catching Turtwig off guard. Jolteon struck him directly, sending Turtwig tumbling back before he managed to get up.

"Thunder Shock!" Jason issued.

"Dodge it!" Julian yelled.

Turtwig managed to avoid Jolteon's Thunder Shock.

"Rush in with Tackle!" Julian followed up.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig began his assault.

"Double Team!" Jason issued.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself. Seconds later, Turtwig ran through one of those copies.

"Quick attack!" Jason followed up.

Turtwig was blindsided by Jolteon's Quick Attack. He stumbled to the ground, struggling to get up.

"End this with Swift!" Jason ordered.

Jolteon fired one more volley of stars at Turtwig. He was unable to dodge them as he was struck over and over again by the exploding stars.

A cloud of smoke enveloped Turtwig. As it cleared, Turtwig was flat on his stomach, unable to get up.

"Turtwig is unable to battle!" Kristine declared.

"Jolteon is the winner!" Amanda added.

"Good job, Jolteon!" Kristine commended.

"Which means…" Amanda continued.

Both Amanda and Kristine then raised their hands towards Jason's side, and announced at the same time, "Jason is the winner of today's match!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon howled.

"Return, Turtwig!" Julian recalled him. "Good job, buddy."

"You too, Jolteon!" Jason recalled Jolteon. "Get some rest. You did great out there."

"Jolteon took out Pidgeotto and Turtwig without a scratch," Julian said. "And I thought I had the upper hand."

"It was a good battle," Jason gave a nod. "I think you're ready for Aria."

"I hope so," Julian replied.

"We've gotten better since our battles with her," Amanda said. "We should definitely head back there for a rematch."

"You're right," Julian agreed. "We definitely have it this time."

He then faced Jason once more. "And I have you to thank."

"I guess I have you to thank, too," Amanda said to Kristine. "The both of you defeated Aria, and you showed us what it takes to beat her."

"Well, anytime," Kristine felt flattered.

"Until we meet again," Julian waved goodbye. "We'll be battling again, Jason!"

"I look forward to it," Jason spoke with determination.

"Well, it was great being a referee with you," Amanda faced Kristine. "It's time to head back to Fort Lexing."

"Good luck!" Kristine wished. "You'll get Aria this time, I know it!"

"Thanks," Amanda smiled. "We'll see eachother again!"

"We will," Kristine gave a nod.

Julian and Amanda departed back on the Route 104, heading southeast back to Fort Lexing.

"Well, shall we continue onto Saint Brandon?" Kristine asked.

"You bet," Jason affirmed.

The twins walked back onto the main road, but they headed northwest on Route 105 towards Saint Brandon. The route was surrounded by lush valleys and fields full of colorful flowers. They spotted the occasional flying pokemon soaring about, and the grass and bug types that resided in the fields did their best to remain concealed. Jason and Kristine saw other trainers out there, some practicing with their pokemon, and others attempting to capture pokemon. This begged an important question to Jason.

"So, Kristine," Jason inquired. "Who's going to be your fourth Pokemon?"

Kristine shrugged. "Whoever wants to join me, I guess," she simply replied. "Planning and reality are two completely different things."

"You're right," Jason agreed. "Taillow wasn't planned, neither was Ralts. Eevee's evolution was especially not planned."

"Don't forget, I persuaded Fletchling and Pikachu to come join me," Kristine continued. "So my fourth Pokemon is anyone's guess."

The two continued down the quiet Serenity Pass. At night, they camped at a flat field. After a nice, uneventful rest, the two conducted their morning training regimens before packing up and heading out.

"Another day in paradise," Jason mentioned.

Kristine chuckled. "Feels like that, huh?"

"How long until Saint Brandon?" Jason asked.

Kristine pulled out the handbook, and flipped the pages until she found the local map.

"Looks like we're two days away," Kristine answered. "Nothing out of the ordinary, except for Darklight Cave, which is a bit off the path. It's full of zubat and geodude."

"That's where Dad caught Geodude," Jason recollected.

"Yeah," Kristine nodded. "But there's a bunch of Zubat in there. They give me the creeps."

"Come on now," Jason chuckled. "Zubat's not all that bad."

Further down the road, the two encountered two people, a man and woman, standing there gazing over in the distance to the twins' left. They wore olive green uniforms, and they appeared to be pondering what to do.

The twins began to walk by the two as the woman turned to face them.

"Oh, hi!" the woman greeted. She had short, wavy brunette hair. "I just need a moment of your time."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Kristine stopped and faced the woman.

"Hi there," the man turned to face them. "Name's Steve."

"And my name's Diane," Diane added. "Pleasure. We're pokemon rangers employed by Team Tranquility, who is responsible for monitoring the ecosystem in this area. I'm afraid we have a situation in our hands, and, you're Trainers by the way, aren't you?"

"Sure are," Jason replied. "Do you need any help?"

"We've been attempting to rescue an injured machop since dawn," Steve explained. "It appeared to injure its leg from a fall. Fighting pokemon have a tendency to train themselves beyond their absolute limit, and we fear it may have suffered a broken leg or a torn ligament. When we approached Machop to offer aid, it became wary of us and saw us as threats, thus retreating down this path towards Darklight Cave."

"Darklight Cave is known to host a massive Zubat roost," Diane added. "Machop's presence alone can greatly disturb the roost and send the Zubat on a frenzy. We don't have the pokemon to go in there and rescue Machop while ensuring the security of the Zubat roost."

"Wait," Kristine was puzzled. "I'm sorry if I sound rude, but I thought pokemon rangers have pokemon as their partners?"

"You're technically correct," Steve nodded. "Diane and I each have flying Pokemon that act as scouts for us. But we're not the conventional rangers. Our job is to aid travelers and pokemon alike by providing medical assistance, as well as surveying the ecosystem in this area. It is our oath to maintain the balance of wildlife, which is why the machop retreating to Darklight Cave puts us in a sticky situation."

"So you want us to go in there and retrieve this machop?" Jason asked.

"You're both adventurers," Diane replied. "We will never ask you to put yourselves in harm's way, but if we go in there, not only would we endanger ourselves, our Pokemon are not fit to encounter a swarm of pokemon."

"How bad of a shape is that Machop in?" Kristine asked.

"We think it could be serious," Diane answered.

"If the zubat become angry, they could kill machop," Steve added.

"If the zubat would actually kill a pokemon, why should we risk our lives and our pokemon?" Jason crossed his arms.

"Jason," Kristine faced him. "I think we should go in there and rescue machop. It just seems the right thing to do."

"You won't go in alone," Diane replied. "We will go in with you, and we are equipped with repellent to drive off the zubat. We just need capable pokemon to fend off attacks if the zubat choose to be aggressive."

"Well, I got three pokemon," Kristine mentioned.

"And I got three capable pokemon," Jason added.

"Should be more than enough to get to machop," Diane said.

"Keep your Pokemon inside for now," Steve suggested. "Once we get to Machop, leave him to us to patch him up, then we'll get him out of there."

"I'll have Justin reward you both," Diane added.

"I think we'll just settle for a gym battle with him," Jason replied.

"That can be arranged," Steve nodded.

"Once we get inside, point your flashlights only forwards," Diane cautioned. "And make sure to stay close to us."

"Gotcha," Kristine nodded.

"Thank you so much for helping us," Steve said. "What are your names?"

"I'm Kristine Kyar," Kristine replied. "And this is my brother Jason."

"Ah, so you're siblings?" Diane seemed intrigued.

"Yep," Jason nodded. "Twins, actually."

The four started to move on the path towards the cavern.

"Jason and Kristine," Steve continued. "How long have you been trainers?"

Kristine shrugged. "About a month, I think."

"So you're relatively new," Diane noted.

"It honestly feels like we've been doing this for a while, now," Jason added. "It feels like it's been much longer than a month."

"How many badges do you have?" Steve asked.

"One," Kristine replied. "We both challenged Aria in Fort Lexing, and we both won."

"Very nice," Diane replied. "Once you get to Saint Brandon, Justin would be more than happy to challenge the both of you once he hears about your efforts. Just don't expect him to go easy on you."

"We won't," Jason chuckled. "Aria sure didn't go easy on us, and she was just our first gym battle."

"Aria is a good woman," Diane added. "She works with us all the time to help create a better world for humans and pokemon to coexist."

The four continued down a dirt path. Then, they proceeded cautiously as the road sloped down right into the mouth of the nearby cave.

"This is Darklight Cave," Steve said. "Get your flashlights out."

Jason and Kristine pulled their flashlights out.

Diane pulled out a bottle containing the zubat repellant, and sprayed a barrier around the entire group.

"Don't venture off too far," Diane warned. "As long as we stick together, the repellant will take effect."

The four walked into the cave, already, they could hear the screeches of multiple zubat.

"Careful of the geodude in here as well," Steve cautioned. "They'll be hiding here, and they may disguise themselves as rocks."

"Noted," Kristine replied.

The four proceeded onwards with their flashlights pointing straight ahead.

"Geodude," they heard a voice on their right.

Jason instinctively pointed his flashlight to his right. The geodude that he shined the light on covered its face as it rolled away.

"Keep it forward," Diane politely reminded. "We don't want the pokemon to think we're threatening them."

"Yeah, sorry," Jason nodded, and kept his flashlight forward.

The four walked down towards the depth of the cavern, where the light from above became dim. They came across a fork leading left and right.

"Keep them straight," Steve instructed.

"We need to figure out which direction," Diane said.

"How about we split up?" Kristine asked.

Steve shook his head. "Too dangerous. We need to stick together."

The four heard screeches of several zubat on their left, followed by grunting from another pokemon.

"Machop must be in that direction," Diane assumed. "Everyone point their flashlights left on one, two, three!"

The four shifted their flashlights left at the same time.

"Okay, let's go!" Steve said.

The four continued left down the tunnel.

"Let's pick it up!" Diane suggested as the noise became louder. It sounded as if the zubat were attacking something.

The four crossed a smaller path taking them left, where the noise was coming from. They followed the path as it curved around, and as they turned the corner, they encountered six zubat swarming Machop.

"Machop!" Machop grunted. With a chop of his hand, he swatted one Zubat away.

"Zubat!" the others screeched, and began attacking Machop.

"Ralts, let's go!" Jason summoned Ralts in a quick attempt to free Machop. "Use Magical Leaf!"

"Ralts!" Ralts jumped out and began to project leaves through psychic energy. She then hurled them at the zubat.

The zubat were being knocked out of the air one by one. Realized they were being attacked, they all retreated by flying over Ralts, Jason, Kristine, Steve, and Diane and back out to the main tunnel.

"Machop!" Machop backed away with his fists at the ready, wary of the strangers approaching him.

"Machop, we're here to help you!" Diane attempted to persuade the Pokemon.

Jason pulled out his pokedex in hopes of finding any biographical information that would help their situation.

"Machop, the superpower pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Machop are prideful as they are independent. Some machop go on their own adventures to learn various fighting styles and techniques. Their strength is unparalled, given their height."

"I think he might just fear outside help because he thinks it makes him weak," Jason said.

"Machop, don't be afraid," Steve spoke softly. "We only want to cure your leg and make you better."

"Machop!" Machop had none of it, and he stepped backwards, displaying a severe limp in his step.

Kristine saw the pokemon was suffering from the pain that he endured, and he was scared to be confronted by strangers. She decided to take matters into her own hands, and approached Machop. She squatted on her knees and got to eye level with the Pokemon.

"Hi there!" she spoke sweetly to him. "My name is Kristine." She pointed to Jason. "This is my twin brother Jason," she then pointed to Steve and Diane. "And these are my new friends Steve and Diane. Were you training hard this morning?"

Machop looked at Kristine, and gave a nervous nod.

"I thought so," Kristine smiled. "Is that how you hurt your leg?"

"Machop…" Machop nodded in shame.

"It's okay!" Kristine continued. "These things happen. Let me tell you a story."

Machop simply nodded.

"Once upon a time, my brother and I were traveling up a hill," Kristine continued. "We were on our bikes, and long story short, we got into an argument, and I rode off, leaving him behind. I was so mad at him, that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. So I ended up falling right down the hill. My bike was totaled, and I just rolled and rolled to the bottom. I banged up my foot and my ribs real bad, and I needed someone to help me. Do you know who helped me?"

"Machop…?" Machop shrugged.

Kristine pointed at Jason. "He helped me. He saw that I needed help, and it didn't matter that we had an argument a few minutes before. He came running down the hill, putting himself at risk so that he could get to me. He then picked me up, climbed back up the hill by himself, and carried me to the nearest pokemon center."

Machop looked at Jason as if he was sent from the heavens himself.

"Without Jason's help, I would have been in serious trouble," Kristine continued. "It's okay to accept help when you truly need it. There's nothing weak about it. I'm a very capable person myself, and I have pokemon who are loyal to me, and I'm loyal to them as well. Heck, we just went into this zubat cave to rescue you, and I'm afraid of zubat. That shows some bravery, doesn't it?"

Machop attempted to stand tall. "Machop!" he spoke confidently.

"Would it be okay if we carried you out?" Kristine asked.

Machop pointed at Kristine. "Machop."

"Would it be okay if I carried you out?" Kristine rephrased.

Machop simply nodded.

Steve and Diane approached Machop. He backed up once more.

"These two are pokemon rangers," Kristine spoke softly. "Please, let them help you. I'll make sure they won't harm you."

"Machop…" Machop looked at Kristine. He began to trust her.

Diane kneeled to Machop. She pulled out some wrappings. "Let me wrap your leg up nice and tight," she said.

Machop stood there as Diane wrapped his leg.

"There," Steve smiled. "That should be better."

Just then, the group heard a loud swarm of zubat screeches coming their way.

"Those zubat must've brought their entire swarm," Jason said. "I'll go deal with them!"

He ran around the corner, bringing out Taillow and Jolteon in the process.

Machop limped to Kristine's back and grabbed a hold of her shoulders.

"We need to exit here, and fast!" Diane said.

"Right," Kristine nodded, and boosted herself up with Machop on her back. "Let's get out of here!"

Kristine, Steve, and Diane ran out where Jason was. He and his pokemon faced left to see an incoming swarm of zubat.

Kristine threw out a Pokeball. "Let's go, Pikachu!" she yelled.

"Pika!" Pikachu ran forward to the front line, holding down a defense against the incoming zubat.

"I want all of you to run to the entrance!" Jason yelled at the others. "I have a plan."

"Then let Espeon and Fletchinder help you out!" Kristine replied as she summoned the two Pokemon.

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted.

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder chirped.

"Get Machop out of here, sis," Jason asked. "I got this."

"I know you do, but be safe anyways!" Kristine replied before running off.

"Okay everyone, we will fire off a move one by one," Jason instructed. "I will call the shots. Once you make your move, retreat out of the cave. Got it?"

All six Pokemon shouted their respective names in compliance.

"Good! Here they come!" Jason acknowledged.

The zubat swarm closed in on the gang. There had to be dozens of them.

"Ralts, Magical Leaf!" Jason yelled.

"Ralts!" Ralts projected sharp leaves at the swarm. Many zubat dodged the attack, as others were struck. Nonetheless, this delayed the swarm.

Ralts than began to run back towards the surface.

"Fletchinder, Ember!" Jason continued. "Taillow, Supersonic!"

Fletchinder spat out a ball of flame, striking one Zubat head on and forcing several others to dodge it. Taillow's Supersonic sent several more in a daze, knocking them out of the sky. The two Pokemon then flew to safety.

"Okay, here we go," Jason felt the heat. The zubat swarm was slowed down, but they continued to advance nonetheless.

"Jolteon, I want you to stay with me, but use Swift!" he commanded. "Espeon, you use Swift, but you get out of here!" Pikachu, fire Electroball and do the same!"

The three Pokemon complied, and fired everything they had. The double volley of stars and the Electroball smashed into the Zubat swarm head on. The two Swifts alone struck many, while the Electroball rolled right through many more. As small explosions dotted the distance before Jason and the Pokemon, smoke began to cover the area.

Pikachu and Espeon began their retreat.

"Okay, Jolteon," Jason said. "Me and you are getting out of here. Stay with me and use Thunder Shock on anything that gets close to us!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon nodded.

Jason and Jolteon ran back towards the fork, and made a right up the slope. Just then, a few zubat managed to catch up to them, intending to inflict harm.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired Thunder Shock at one of the zubat, knocking it out of the air.

Jason kept running up the slope. With two more zubat right after him, Jolteon turned around to face the zubat.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired another Thunder Shock, zapping the zubat from the air. He then ran back up to catch up to Jason.

Jason saw the light shine down on him. He ran right towards it, with Jolteon at his side. With no more zubat chasing them, they had a clear path to the exit.

Jason and Jolteon ran out of the cave, with Kristine, Steve, Diane, and all of the twins' Pokemon waiting for them.

"We're all good," Jason caught his breath.

"That was one heck of a plan," Kristine patted Jason on his shoulder.

"I knew our pokemon could hold them off," Jason replied.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

Kristine pulled out her Pokeballs. "Good job everyone, now return!" she recalled them.

"You too, guys!" Jason recalled his Pokemon. "Thank you."

Diane kneeled down towards Machop once more. "Let me feel your leg now that we're safe," she spoke.

Diane felt around Machop's leg, and detected the strained areas around his leg.

"It feels like he has a severe sprain," Diane continued. "But he needs to go to the pokemon center in Saint Brandon to verify the injury."

"It could've been a lot worse," Steve smiled. "I think he'll be just fine."

"Right," Diane said. "But we'll have to cut our routine short and head back to Saint Brandon."

"Machop!" Machop limped over to Kristine. He reached for her belt to pull out an empty Pokeball. He then flipped the pokeball over for the front to face him before handing it back to Kristine, extending his arm.

"You…you want to come along with me?" Kristine asked.

"Machop," Machop nodded.

"Machop must respect you so much that he wants to travel with you," Steve noted. "Amazing!"

Kristine took the pokeball and kept it pointed at Machop. Machop then kneeled before Kristine.

"Machop Machop!" Machop swore.

Kristine squatted on eye level with Machop. "Stand back up," she smiled.

Machop complied, and stood up.

"I'm going to be traveling all over Inventum," Kristine continued. "We'll be going on all kinds of adventures, and we're competing in the Inventum League, which means we will see tons of battles. Once you get better, you'd be fighting those battles too. Does that interest you?"

"Machop!" Machop nodded with confidence.

"Then I welcome you to the team, Machop!" Kristine smiled. "We're going to have a lot of fun together."

"Machop!" Machop saluted.

"Now get some rest," Kristine tapped him with the pokeball, thus bringing him inside it. He became bound to it with no resistance.

"Do you think you can have Machop taken care of at Saint Brandon?" Diane asked.

"Sure can!" Kristine assured her. "He's my responsibility, now."

"Thank you so much for everything!" Steve showed his gratitude. "We'll continue our rotation. I wish you the best of luck on your journey."

"You've done a great thing today," Diane smiled. "You're both going to be great trainers."

"Thank you," Kristine nodded.

"We'll let Justin know how much you went out of your way to save Machop," Jason added.

"Take care, both of you," Steve waved goodbye.

Jason and Kristine exchanged farewells with Steve and Diane as they departed back on the road towards Saint Brandon. With a clear path towards the city, the battle for the Tranquility Badge just seems around the corner…

* * *

 **Progress at end of chapter:**

 **Jason:**

 **Jolteon - Thunder Shock, Double Team, Headbutt, Swift. Special Ability: Volt Absorb**

 **Taillow - Wing Attack, Quick Attack, Supersonic, Peck. Special Ability: Guts**

 **Ralts - Confusion, Magical Leaf, Disarming Voice, Heal Pulse. Special Ability: Synchronize**

 **Magikarp - Splash. Special Ability: Swift Swim**

 **Kristine:**

 **Espeon - Confusion, Calm Mind, Swift, Quick Attack. Special Ability: Magic Bounce**

 **Fletchinder - Wing Attack, Ember, Agility, Quick Attack. Special Ability: Gale Wings**

 **Pikachu - Thunder Shock, Electro Ball, Quick Attack, Double Team. Special Ability: Static**

 **Machop - Low Kick, Focus Energy, Karate Chop, Leer. Special Ability: Guts**


	14. Battle in Tranquility

Saint Brandon…" Kristine spoke in awe as the two approached the city. According to the handbook, it is the smallest major city in Inventum, but it was covered with beautiful gardens and well-decorated ponds. It had an enchanting feel to it. There were no tall buildings or neon lights; there was just peace and quiet.

The two proceeded down the path leading into the city, passing by vast farmlands and outskirt residential homes. The city itself had stone roads and buildings as opposed to the paved roads and durasteel buildings that Fort Lexing had.

"It's more open than Fort Lexing," Jason noted. "I like it."

"I dunno," Kristine disagreed. "I liked the energy Fort Lexing had."

"To each their own, I suppose," Jason replied.

The two proceeded into the city, where the pokemon center was right at the heart of it. It was a rounded, stone structure standing at two stories tall. The twins walked inside to see Nurse Joy behind the counter in the lobby.

"Welcome to the Saint Brandon Pokemon Center!" Nurse Joy greeted. "How can I help you?"

"Hi," Kristine greeted back. "We would like a room with two twin beds for a couple nights."

"Very well," Nurse Joy acknowledged. "One room for two Trainers, I can get that sorted out for you."

She then took to her computer terminal.

"Done," she continued. "Room 34 on the second floor is all yours."

"Awesome, thank you!" Jason replied. He turned to Kristine. "Is it okay if I head up?"

"Sure," Kristine gave a nod. "I'll be up there in a few."

Jason headed upstairs to his room.

"Nurse Joy, I also have another favor to ask," Kristine continued.

"Of course!" Nurse Joy smiled. "How can I help you?"

Kristine pulled out Machop's pokeball. "A couple days ago, my brother and I rescued an injured Machop from Darklight Cave, with two members of Team Harmony assisting us. Can you take a look at him? We think he has a sprained leg."

"Absolutely!" Nurse Joy replied. She then left the counter. "Follow me into the patient room."

Kristine followed Nurse Joy into the patient room just ahead.

"Come on out, Machop!" Kristine summoned him.

"Machop!" Machop greeted.

"Hi Machop! Take a seat right over here!" Nurse Joy pointed to the patient's bed.

Machop complied and sat down. Nurse Joy got on her knees to take off Machop's wrap and examine his leg.

"That's a sprain, all right," she felt Machop's leg. "There's a lot of tension going on. I'll go ahead and apply some potion to his leg, but I'd suggest keeping it wrapped for a while."

Nurse Joy then addressed Kristine directly by looking at her. "I'd also suggest sidelining him from any battles indefinitely. Make sure to give him time to rest his leg, but also to help him rehab it by training with him at least twice a day. Also make sure to do follow-ups for each pokemon center you come across, so that we can provide the appropriate treatment and updates."

"Okay," Kristine acknowledged. "Thank you very much, Nurse Joy."

"It's my duty," Nurse Joy replied as she got up and walked over to a nearby cabinet for a potion.

"Sorry Machop," Kristine said to him. "But it looks like you won't be battling for a while."

"Machop…" Machop looked down in disappointment.

"But don't worry," Kristine got on eye level with Machop. "We're going to make sure your leg gets better, and you get back to the form you were before!"

"Machop!" Machop gave a determined nod.

Nurse Joy walked over to Machop and applied the potion on his leg.

"That'll help loosen up the tension in his leg," she said. "Just take it easy for a while and you'll be just fine!"

"Machop!" Machop nodded in approval.

Kristine recalled him shortly thereafter. "Thank you again, Nurse Joy!"

Nurse Joy smiled. "Always a pleasure."

Kristine walked out into the lobby, where a man with a ponytail was standing there. He had a smooth face, dark brown hair, and wore a gray jacket with a black undershirt, to go along with his blue jeans.

"You're Kristine, are you not?" He asked Kristine as if he was anticipating her.

"Yes sir," Kristine nodded. "Can I help you?"

"I appears you already have," the man smiled. "My name is Justin, Gym Leader of Saint Brandon and Leader of Team Tranquility. Steve and Diane contacted me regarding you and your brother's efforts in saving Machop from disaster in Darklight Cave. I just want to say thank you. It is our mission to preserve the balance and harmony of the ecosystem, and while the zubat nest was disturbed for the moment, you were able to save Machop's life. The zubat may be angry, but they can put up with it."

Kristine chuckled. "I felt like we had to do something. Besides, Machop volunteered to join me on my journey."

"That's what I was told," Justin replied. "And you've taken care of him, it appears. It's always nice to see a responsible, caring trainer."

Kristine blushed. "Well, I try."

"If you and your brother aren't too busy or tired from traveling, my wife and I would like to invite you to dinner at our garden tonight," Justin continued. "It's our home just as it is the Tranquility Gym."

"Um, sure!" Kristine happily replied. "I mean, I'll see if Jason's up for it. He was pretty worn out."

"No problem," Justin smiled. "If you are interested, does 6 o'clock sound good?"

"Sure! Gives us plenty of time to rest."

"Then I'll see you tonight," Justin nodded. "Have a good day, Kristine."

"Yeah, you too," Kristine replied as Justin left the pokemon center.

"Justin's done great things for this city," Nurse Joy added. "He helped make it one of the most beautiful cities in Inventum."

"He seems real nice," Kristine noted. "For him to personally thank me like that."

"And he invited you to dinner," Nurse Joy said. "He definitely knows hospitality."

Kristine walked upstairs to her and her brother's room. Jason was on his bed, resting over the covers.

"How's Machop?" Jason asked.

"It's a heavy sprain," Kristine replied. "I'll have to sideline him from any battles for a while, but he's going to be okay."

"That's good," Jason leaned upwards.

"So the Leader of Team Tranquility stopped by," Kristine added.

"Oh?" Jason seemed intrigued.

"He invited us to dinner tonight," Kristine continued. "He and his wife will be hosting us."

"Sweet," Jason replied.

"He wanted to thank us personally for saving Machop's life."

"Justin seems like a cool guy," Jason added.

Kristine nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

As the sun set, the two headed out of the pokemon center after a nice afternoon's rest. Using the local layout of Saint Brandon from the handbook, Kristine helped navigate the way to the Tranquility Gym. They left the heart of the city to the northern outskirts, where a beautiful garden of tulips and roses awaited them.

"How very pretty," Kristine looked in awe as she and Jason walked straight ahead to a stone structure before them.

Justin and his wife awaited their arrival at the entrance.

"Welcome, Jason and Kristine!" Justin greeted. "It's a pleasure to have you here. This is my wife Fiona."

"I have heard about you," Fiona spoke elegantly with a distinct accent. She had long, smooth brown hair and wore a silver dress. "It is great to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too!" Kristine smiled.

"Thank you for having us!" Jason added.

"If you'd like, I can show you around our garden," Justin said, as he opened the door to the building.

"We'd love to see it!" Kristine replied.

Justin and Fiona led the way for Jason and Kristine to proceed inside. The first room had no ceiling. There were stone paths that led around the garden in the center.

"We made this establishment as open as we can make it," Justin explained. "We have separate gardens throughout the establishment. Since you're both trainers, I think you want to see this."

Justin and Fiona led the twins around the path and into the next room straight ahead. It was the battle floor itself, with a nice, grassy field. Planted flowers and bushes outlined the floor, while a second floor balcony overlooked it in all directions.

"The battle floor…" Jason muttered.

"This is where we hold our gym battles," Justin added. "I test one's ability to work with their polemon, to see if they have purged themselves of their internal conflicts and truly see what they want to accomplish in life."

"It looks amazing!" Kristine complimented.

"I know you'll want to battle very soon," Justin continued. "But I'll get to that."

Justin and Fiona led the twins across the floor to another room further ahead. There, a statue of a lugia stood there with its wings spread over a decorative stone water fountain.

"Team Tranquility was founded 50 years ago with Lugia as its sigil," Justin pointed out. "Legends once tell of conflict with Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Their hostilities altered the weather patterns of our world, thus threatening life as we know it. Lugia ended those hostilities, spreading tranquility among all three legendary pokemon, thus restoring balance to the world.

"50 years ago, Inventum had a lot of trouble with organizations that dabbled into criminal activity. Team Vitality originated in Viceport and was the first to conduct criminal activities such as importing and producing illegal enhancements and selling them on the black market. Team Mystic, though hailing from Kalos, established a branch in Inventum where some of its followers went rogue and began capturing legendary pokemon to sell to the highest bidder.

"The crime got out of hand, so my grandfather Peter stepped up, founding an organization of elite law enforcement officers and pokemon rangers called Team Tranquility. Together, they exposed the bad seeds of Team Mystic inside the month, and they went after Team Vitality among other groups and individuals. They arrested dozens of criminals, many who served life sentences. Since then, all organizations must be registered, inspected, and approved by the government regularly.

"When there was conflict, it was once again Lugia who brought peace and harmony and restored balance across the region. Today, Team Tranquility is a small organization. I do my part to maintain a peaceful environment and community in Saint Brandon. It was only several years ago that the Pokemon League asked me to become the Gym Leader of this city, given my prior experience as a well-respected ranger."

"And I help maintain the beauty of this city," Fiona added. "When Justin became the Gym Leader, we moved the gym to our garden, and we converted the old gym in the city into a community center."

"You both sound like amazing people," Kristine was taken back.

Justin felt flattered. "We try. We do our duty to make this world a better place not only for ourselves, but for generations to come."

"That's a cause worth dedicating to," Jason added.

"We thought so," Fiona nodded. "When I traveled in Inventum twenty years ago as a contest coordinator, I met Justin here. That's where I soon retired from being a coordinator and fell in love with him."

"That's adorable," Kristine felt her heart warm up.

"Fiona gave up a lot coming from Kalos to settle here," Justin added. "I'll never forget that as long as I live."

"Awww," Kristine replied.

Jason only smirked at Kristine's reaction.

"Well, shall we have dinner?" Justin suggested. He faced the twins. "I bet you're starving."

"Yeah, a little bit," Jason felt his stomach growl.

"Fiona makes the greatest salad, you'll have to try," Justin boasted. He and Fiona led the twins into an enclosed corner of the garden.

"This is our home," Fiona said, leading the twins inside. "It's small, but we only really need it to eat and sleep."

Jason and Kristine looked around the stone interior. There was a small kitchen and dining area, with a hallway leading to the bedroom and bathroom.

"Well, you do have a massive beautiful garden outside," Kristine added.

"We spend most of our waking hours outside, if not all," Justin said.

Jason realized there was no electricity in the home. He decided not to make any comment at all.

The twins sat down at the square table with Justin. Fiona brought them bowls of salad a few minutes later.

"So," Justin spoke while everyone was digging in. "Diane told me about the story you told Machop, Kristine," he mentioned.

"Huh?" Kristine was caught off guard. Then she remembered. "Oh yeah."

"Is there any truth to that?" Justin asked.

"Yep," Kristine nodded. "See, it was our first day as trainers. Both Jason and I got our own eevee, and we headed out. We realized that we were totally unprepared for heading out on our own like that."

Fiona chuckled. "No one is truly prepared for a grand adventure like that. It hits you really hard, really fast."

"No kidding," Jason added.

"So after a full day of mishaps, we snapped at each other and had an argument." She faced Jason. "What was it over, anyways?"

"I think the pikachu you tried to catch zapped my bike, or something like that." Jason shrugged.

"Something like that," Kristine snickered. "Anyways, I got real mad at Jason and left him when I had a working bike. It wasn't more than a minute I almost hit a skiddo when I wasn't paying attention, and I came tumbling down the hill on my left. Jason ran after me, putting himself at risk so that he could get to me. So I was in a panic, and –"

"So was I," Jason added.

"And Jason tried to get me to safety."

"There was a massive pokemon flying overhead," Jason mentioned. "I couldn't make it out, but whatever it was, it brought a sense of peace between us. Like whatever we fought over was irrelevant, and what really matter was each other."

"Wait a second," Kristine connected the dots. "You wouldn't think that could possibly be lugia?"

"That sure sounds like a lugia was flying overhead," Justin leaned back. "That's certainly something you don't see everyday."

"How awesome is that?" Jason looked at Kristine.

"Totally cool," Kristine replied. "But I'm grateful that you carried me to the pokemon center the way you did."

"That was the only choice," Jason said. "There was no alternative."

"That is quite touching," Fiona replied. "It's nice to see siblings that are close friends."

"We had our fights growing up," Kristine added. "But what's a best friend without reaching an impasse at one point or another? I've come to learn that true best friends get through those struggles together."

"Well, I wouldn't trade my traveling companion for anyone in the world," Jason said. "She's always been at my side, especially since our father passed away two years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Justin spoke with sympathy.

"It's okay," Jason continued. "I wouldn't know how to handle it if it weren't for Kristine."

"And I honestly would have given up on a lot of things if it weren't for Jason," Kristine replied. "The past month as shown us many things, and it has made us respect each other more than ever."

"That is very interesting," Justin leaned forward. "Thank you for sharing that with us, both of you."

Jason, Kristine, Justin, and Fiona continued eating. As they were finishing up, Justin spoke up once more.

"So I think I have the perfect challenge for both of you," Justin mentioned.

Jason and Kristine both leaned forward.

"Both of us?" Kristine asked. "Like, together?"

Fiona simply chuckled. She knew what her husband was getting at.

"Tell me," Justin continued. "Have you ever had a tag battle before?"

"A tag battle?" Jason spoke. "I've heard of it, but we have never done one before."

"Perfect," Justin smiled. "You two will be traveling together all over Inventum. As long as you live, you will be at each other's side. You two have explained that you have come to respect one another's company in harmony. Demonstrate that to me and Fiona in a tag battle tomorrow at noontime, and the Tranquility Badge is yours."

"Do you know the official rules for standard tag battles?" Fiona asked.

The twins shrugged.

"A tag battle, of course, is two trainers against two trainers," Justin explained. "Each trainer uses one pokemon on the field, and has one Pokemon in reserve. That means each of you will need to choose two pokemon to battle."

"We'll give you the night to prepare for tomorrow," Fiona added.

"Just be ready," Justin said. "It's my duty as Gym Leader to challenge trainers competing in the Inventum League, so we will not go easy. Our pokemon are our friends and companions. We will work with each other to our hearts' content."

"We will be," Jason spoke, determined to come out as a victor in tomorrow's match.

Later that night, the twins headed back to the pokemon center.

"So, we're going to be working together," Kristine said.

"We make a good team already," Jason added. "We can do this."

"I'm sure we can," Kristine nodded. "But remember: tag battles are very different from your traditional battles. There will be two pokemon against two pokemon, which means our tactics will have to be in sync if we hope to beat them."

"You're right," Jason listened to Kristine's reason. "Let's check the extranet when we get back and see what we can do."

Back in their room, the twins reviewed their opponents on the extranet.

"So Justin utilizes fairy, grass, and water type pokemon," Kristine read an article. "He's the Gym Leader, so there's much more information on him than Fiona."

Kristine continued reading, with Jason standing behind her.

"Okay," Kristine added. "Justin's strongest pokemon is Milotic, whom he rescued as a feebas straight from Lake Serenity a long time ago. He's been registered in almost every single battle since he became Gym Leader."

"Milotic's going to be hard to fight," Jason said.

"Sunflora is also a popular pick," Kristine mentioned. "He might be going with him, too."

"Try researching Fiona as a contest coordinator," Jason suggested.

"It's been a long time," Kristine said. "But okay."

Kristine brought up an article relating to Fiona's career.

"It says she used to be fond of what are now fairy type pokemon," she read. "Oh, here we go. A recent interview with her explains her continued love for Fairy pokemon. Clefable and Sylveon help her maintain the gardens around Saint Brandon."

"Then I think we found our opponents," Jason crossed his arms and smiled.

"Yet we don't know how they fight together," Kristine added. "But we should expect moves that aid one another in battle."

"Right," Jason nodded. "So we need Pokemon who can work together in battle."

"Machop can't fight," Kristine said. "And Magikarp, well, isn't Gyarados yet. So that leaves to three pokemon each, and we need to select two."

"It won't be easy sitting one out," Jason added.

"Well, we're very similar in the fact that we have one electric pokemon, one flying pokemon, and one psychic pokemon each," Kristine pointed out.

"Should we send two pairs of the same type or should we mix it up?" Jason asked.

"If we look at Justin's pokemon, Sunflora is weak to flying and fire, while Milotic is weak to electric," Kristine said. "Fairy is going to be neutral against everything that we have anyways. I'd hate to say it, but if we want to have a type advantage, I'd say we sit Ralts and Espeon out."

"Which leaves Tallow and Fletchinder as the starters with Jolteon and Pikachu in reserve, assuming Sunflora comes out first."

"Precisely," Kristine nodded. "Are you on board with this plan?"

"I think we can synchronize pretty well with this group," Jason replied. "Let's do it."

"Then that's it," Kristine declared. "We have a plan for tomorrow. Tranquility Badge here we come!"

The next day, the twins put on their gear. They tightened their belts and attached their pokeballs to them. They were ready to battle side by side against Justin and Fiona, and win the Tranquility Badge. After eating a hearty breakfast downstairs within the pokemon center, the two headed to the outskirts. With plenty of time before their battle, they managed to get some practice and pre-battle briefing in with their pokemon.

Jason and Kristine summoned all of their Pokemon in a lightly forested area with a nearby stream so that Magikarp could also be involved.

"Okay, everyone," Kristine addressed. "We're going to be battling Justin and Fiona today, which brings up some hard decisions that we all need to understand."

"The battle is going to be two versus two, with two more Pokemon on reserve for both sides," Jason added. "Which means that two from my team and two from Kristine's team will battle today."

All pokemon, save for Machop, realized that there's a chance they won't battle today.

"So if you're not selected, don't feel bad," Kristine said with a smile. "All of you will have your chance to battle, because you're all great. We are going with the best possible matchups with what we believe Justin and Fiona are using."

"I'm going to go with Jolteon and Taillow," Jason announced.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked in approval.

"Taillow!" Taillow cheered.

"Ralts…" Ralts looked down in disappointment.

"Karp…" Magikarp did the same.

Jason approached Ralts and Magikarp.

"Ralts, your abilities are powerful," he said. "And Magikarp, you're a very fast swimmer. You're going to battle Gym Leaders in the future, I promise."

"Ralts!" Ralts cheered up.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp did the same.

"And for my team," Kristine spoke up. "I'm choosing Fletchinder and Pikachu. Espeon, I hope you can understand why I'm sitting you out. You are amazing."

"Espeon," Espeon nodded in understanding.

"So for those of you on the bench today," Kristine continued. "We're all on the same team. I need everyone to cheer us on!"

All pokemon shouted their names in approval.

"Then Jason," Kristine faced him. "I say we draw our battleplans out."

Jason smirked. "Let's get to it."

After more than an hour of warm-ups and tactical planning, the twins approached the Tranquility Gym on the north side of the city. A member of team harmony at the entrance, wearing a silver coat, black shirt, and khakis, greeted them.

"Hello," the man gave a nod. "If you'll follow me to the battle floor, Justin and Fiona are ready for your battle."

Jason and Kristine followed the man inside, and approached the battle floor. They took to their side of the field. As they looked around, at least a dozen Harmony members spectated from the balcony that surrounded them.

The same man that greeted Jason and Kristine took to the referee's box at the left-hand side of the center of the floor. A moment later, Justin and Fiona approached the field from the opposite end.

"My my," Fiona spoke, looking at the determined twins. "Don't you look prepared for today?"

"I can see you spent quite some time researching for this battle," Justin seemed impressed. "I look forward to seeing what you have planned for today."

"Today's battle will be a tag battle between Gym Leader Justin and his wife, Fiona, and challengers Jason and Kristine Kyar," the referee announced. "Each participant has one pokemon each with one more in reserve. The battle is continuous if one pokemon goes down in the fight. The match is over if one team's pokemon and their reserves are unable to battle."

The referee faced Justin and Fiona. "Justin and Fiona, are you ready?"

Justin and Fiona both simply nodded at him.

"Challengers, are you ready?" the referee turned his head to Jason and Kristine.

"We are," Kristine said.

"Then the Gym Leader's side will bring out their pokemon first, while the challengers make the first move!" the referee added. "The battle may begin!"

"Go, Sunflora!" Justin threw out his pokeball, summoning a sizeable, cheerful pokemon with the resemblance of a giant sunflower.

"Clefable, let's have some fun!" Fiona threw out hers, summoning a pink, bubbly creature with long, black pointed ears with small wings on its back.

"Sunflora!" the sun pokemon greeted cheerfully.

"Clefable!" the rare fairy pokemon waved.

Jason and Kristine both faced each other and nodded at one another, following through with their plan. They were exactly right in predicting what Justin was going to use.

"Let's go, Taillow!" Jason summoned.

"Showtime, Fletchinder!" Kristine threw out her pokeball.

Both flying Pokemon took to the sky as soon as they were summoned.

"Wing Attack on Sunflora!" the twins called at the same time.

Taillow and Fletchinder dove down on Sunflora. Fletchinder's Gale Wings propelled him to move faster than Taillow.

"Clefable, use Follow Me!" Fiona responded.

"Sunflora, Razor Leaf, if you will!" Justin called.

Clefable locked onto Fletchinder's approach and got in front of Sunflora. She waved her hands, causing Fletchinder to mistake her for Sunflora. Fletchinder then struck Clefable with Wing Attack, causing Clefable to slide back, taking the brunt of the damage.

Meanwhile, Sunflora projected razor sharp leaves into the air, aiming at Taillow.

"Switch to Quick Attack!" Jason commanded.

Taillow closed her wings and dove right underneath the barrage of leaves, diving down on Sunflora. Taillow struck Sunflora, knocking her back.

"Sunflora, use Ingrain!" Justin issued.

"Sunflora!" Sunflora rooted herself in place. Then, green orbs seemed to rise from the ground, healing part of the damage done to her.

"Clefable, use Heal Pulse on yourself!" Fiona called.

Clefable waved her hands to project a blue aura and approached it. Much of the damage done to her was healed as well.

"They're going to try to outlast us, Jason!" Kristine said to him.

"Then we just gotta hit them with everything we got!" Jason replied.

"Clefable, use Disarming Voice!" Fiona commanded.

Clefable let out a deafening screech aimed at Taillow and Fletchinder in the shape of hearts.

"Dodge!" Jason and Kristine yelled at the same time.

Taillow and Fletchinder soared into the sky to avoid Clefable's Disarming Voice.

"Sunflora, use Razor Leaf again, please!" Justin wanted to keep the pressure going.

Sunflora fired another barrage of leaves. Taillow and Fletchinder soared as fast as they can to narrowly avoid the leaves. At one point, both of them had to maneuver through the leaves.

"Fletchinder, use Ember on Sunflora!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchinder fired a ball of flame aimed at Sunflora.

"Clefable, use Follow Me!" Fiona responded once more.

Clefable got in front of Sunflora again and waved her hands. Fletchinder's Ember struck her instead of Sunflora.

"Taillow, now's your chance to attack Sunflora, Quick Attack!" Jason saw the opportunity.

"Taillow!" Taillow dove down on Sunflora.

"Leech Seed, Sunflora!" Justin called.

Sunflora spat out a seed at Taillow, striking her chest right before she managed to strike Sunflora.

Sunflora tilted backwards, but her Ingrain kept her upright. Taillow flew back into the air, but the Leech Seed sprouted vines across her body, siphoning her energy to Sunflora. Sunflora's Ingrain was also healing some of the damage done.

"We need to change things up," Kristine suggested to Jason. "Clefable's going to take all the damage and heal from it, while Sunflora will just stand there and do whatever she likes."

Meanwhile, Taillow's seed glowed red, siphoning ever more energy from her.

"Keep pressure on Sunflora," Jason insisted.

"What?" Kristine seemed puzzled.

"I have a plan," Jason assured her. "We'll work them down before they work us down."

"Clefable, Heal Pulse!" Fiona issued.

"Follow through with me," Jason said to Kristine. He then quickly faced Taillow. "Taillow, Supersonic on Clefable!"

Taillow let out a supersonic screech aimed at Clefable. She took a few steps backwards as she seemed dazed and confused, unable to get her Heal Pulse off.

Jason faced Kristine and nodded to her. She nodded back.

"Fletchinder, Ember on Sunflora!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchinder spat out a ball of flame at Sunflora, striking her.

"Sunflora!" Justin yelled.

"Clefable, hang in there!" Fiona tried to encourage her pokemon.

Sunflora stood tall, using Ingrain to partially heal herself. She also siphoned more energy from Taillow using leech seed.

"Quick Attack, Taillow!" Jason commanded.

Taillow ran at Sunflora for one more Quick Attack. Before Sunflora could react, Taillow struck her.

Sunflora took considerable damage, but with all the healing she received, she withstood the attack.

Jason faced Kristine once more. "Switch on my mark, and hit 'em with everything!" he suggested.

"Gotcha," Kristine replied.

"Sunflora, Mega Drain on Taillow!" Justin called.

"Sunflora!" Sunflora complied.

Suddenly, a massive green orb was sucked out of Taillow and was transferred to Sunflora, significantly healing her. Taillow fell out of the sky and smashed to the floor.

"Taillow…" Taillow struggled to get up. To Jason's relief, she did.

"Focus Energy, Taillow, hang in there!" Jason yelled.

"Taillow!" Taillow pumped herself up.

"Razor Leaf on Taillow, Sunflora!" Justin commanded.

"Sunflora!" Sunflora projected one more volley of leaves.

"Dodge it!" Jason yelled.

"Fletchinder, Wing Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Fletchinder swooped down and struck Sunflora hard, stopping her Razor Leaf. The attack was so severe that Sunflora was uprooted. She fell to the ground, but was slowly able to get up.

Meanwhile, Clefable seemed to be aware of her surroundings.

"Clefable, help out Sunflora!" Fiona called. "Use Heal Pulse!"

"Now!" Jason gave his sister the signal.

"Wing Attack on Clefable!" Both of them shouted at the same time.

Taillow and Fletchinder dove down on Clefable with glowing wings. They all struck her in a crisscross pattern, flying away after the assault. Clefable stood there for three seconds, unresponsive, before felling on her knees and onto the ground.

"Clefable is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"Yeah!" the Twins cheered.

"Good call, Jason!" Kristine complimented.

"Thanks, sis," Jason responded.

Just then, Taillow took even more damage from Sunflora's Leech Seed.

"We need to take out Sunflora, and fast!" Jason suggested.

"Return, Clefable!" Fiona called her. "You did your best. Thank you."

"Taillow, quick attack on Sunflora!" Jason quickly commanded.

"Sylveon, go, quickly!" Fiona responded. "Defend Sunflora and use Fairy Wind!"

Fiona threw out her last pokeball.

"Sylveon!" the Pokemon barked as she ran forward to Sunflora's aid. One of eevee's eight evolved forms, Sylveon is cream colored in general, with pink feet, ears, and tail. It has two natural bows on its left ear and its neck. Ribbons extend from these bows, which are called Feelers; they are used to help calm and soothe other Pokemon and individuals. Sylveon's light blue eyes gleamed as she raced to Sunflora.

"Syl-veon!" Sylveon used her feelers to project a mystical wind directed at Taillow. Taillow flew right into it, overwhelmed by Sylveon's Fairy Wind. Taillow was tossed backwards as she tumbled to the ground right before Jason and Kristine. She did not get up.

"Taillow is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"Return, Taillow!" Jason recalled her. "Good job out there."

"Sunflora, use Razor Leaf on Fletchinder!" Justin commanded.

"Sylveon, use Fairy Wind once more!" Fiona added.

Razor sharp leaves propelled by a mystical wind were projected right at Fletchinder.

"Jolteon, use Swift to stop those attacks!" Jason commanded, summoning Jolteon.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked, and quickly fired a swift of stars directed at Sunflora's and Sylveon's attacks. The stars exploded with the leaves and managed to halt Fairy Wind.

Kristine gave a nod of gratitude to Jason. She then faced Fletchinder. "Fletchinder, Ember on Sunflora one more time!" she commanded.

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder fired Ember, striking Sunflora head on. Sunflora, unable to withstand another attack, flopped over, unable to get up.

"Sunflora is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "The Gym Leader's side are out of reserves!"

"Thanks for the assist, Jason!" Kristine commended.

"Don't mention it," Jason smirked. "We're not out of this yet."

"Return, Sunflora!" Justin recalled her. "You did great."

Justin then pulled out his second pokeball. "Milotic, have some fun out there!"

"Milo!" the massive beautiful serpent greeted. Her anttanae and "hair" was red, while her tail was light blue in color.

"So that's Milotic…" Kristine was taken away by the beauty of the twenty-foot long creature.

"You two have done quite well so far," Justin commended. "Now, let's see how you can work with each other under stressful circumstances!"

"Like this wasn't stressful enough?" Kristine added.

"Milotic, use Aurora Beam on Jolteon!" Justin commanded.

"Milo!" Milotic fired a beam of aurora colors at Jolteon.

"Double Team, Jolteon!" Jason responded.

"Fairy Wind, Sylveon!" Fiona called as Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself.

Aurora Beam tore through two of Jolteon's copies, while Fairy Wind blew away the rest.

"Fletchinder, use Wing Attack on Milotic!" Kristine called.

"Now's our chance to take out Fletchinder, dear!" Justin saw an opportunity. "Milotic, Twister!"

While Fletchinder moved in and struck Milotic with glowing wings, the massive serpent was unmoved. She responded with a vortex that Fletchinder could not escape from. He was sucked into it, spinning around and around.

"Sylveon, use Helping Hand!" Fiona called.

"Sylveon!" Sylveon's Feelers moved towards Milotic's direction, projecting energy that would boost Milotic's attacks.

"Milotic, Water Pulse!" Justin commanded.

"Milotic!" Milotic shot out a ball of water that morphed into a whirlpool. The water spun around the twister, enveloping Fletchinder in a powerful aqua vortex.

"Fletchinder, no!" Kristine yelled.

Fletchinder became engulfed by the attack. By the time the vortex faded, Fletchinder fell, slamming to the ground. He was unable to continue.

"Fletchinder is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "The challengers are out of reserves!"

"Return, Fletchinder!" Kristine recalled him. "You did great out there. No worries, we got this!"

She took out another pokeball. "Pikachu, showtime!" she summoned Pikachu.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu ran forward.

Jolteon and Pikachu faced off against Sylveon and Milotic.

Kristine faced Jason. "Sylveon will keep powering up Milotic's attacks," she addressed. "We need to take her out first."

Jason nodded in approval. "Let's do it."

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock on Sylveon!" Kristine commanded.

"You too, Jolteon!" Jason added.

Both electric pokemon fired out Thunder Shock, aiming at Sylveon.

"Milotic, use Aurora Beam!" Justin issued.

Milotic used Aurora Beam to stop Pikachu's Thunder Shock.

"Sylveon, dodge!" Fiona responded to Jolteon's attack.

Sylveon managed to jump out of the way just in time.

"Use Quick Attack on Jolteon!" Fiona followed up.

"Milotic, Water Pulse on Jolteon!" Justin issued.

Sylveon charged at Jolteon while Milotic fired another ball of water.

"Pikachu, use Electro ball on Water Pulse!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika-chuuu!" Pikachu hurled Electro Ball from his tail. The Electro Ball smashed against Water Pulse, evaporating it and sending a mist of water throughout the floor.

"Jolteon, Double Team!" Jason ordered.

Jolteon projected copies of himself as Sylveon ran through one of them.

"Jolteon, Double Kick!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon emerged from his copies and used his hind legs to kick Sylveon back. Sylveon was knocked back, but she was able to maintain her balance.

"Now, Swift!" Jason commanded.

Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Kristine added.

A swift of stars and Thunder Shock were projected at Sylveon.

"Milotic, Twister!" Justin commanded.

Milotic projected another vortex.

"Sylveon, Helping Hand!" Fiona yelled.

Sylveon projected more energy towards Milotic, making her vortex even wider than before.

"Double Team!" the twins commanded at the same time.

Pikachu and Jolteon used Double Team. The twister sucked in many of their copies, with them nowhere in sight. Then, Fiona spotted Jolteon from her far right and Pikachu from her far left, approaching Sylveon.

"Jolteon, Swift!" Jason commanded.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Kristine added.

Jolteon's volley of stars swiftly approached Sylveon.

"Fairy Wind!" Fiona yelled.

"Sylveon!" Sylveon projected another mystical wind that met Swift head on. The result was a cloud of smoke following the exploding stars.

Meanwhile, Pikachu launched Electro Ball, only to be met by Milotic, who emerged and stuck her head up so high she was on Pikachu's eyelevel in mid air.

"Water Pulse!" Justin commanded.

Milotic fired a ball of water that once again deflected Electro Ball. The result was another shroud of mist that blanketed the field.

Kristine faced Jason. "You do what you and Jolteon do best, and take out Sylveon," she suggested. "Pikachu and I will keep Milotic occupied."

Jason gave a nod. "Jolteon, Quick Attack!"

Jolteon ran right through the smoke.

"Sylveon, Quick Attack!" Fiona responded.

Both pokemon struck each other, knocking one another down.

"Milotic, Aurora Beam!" Justin issued, focusing on Pikachu.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu narrowly dodged the attack.

"Jolteon, Thunder Shock!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired a bolt of electricity at Sylveon. Meanwhile, Pikachu kept dodging Milotic's constant stream of Aurora Beam.

"Dodge it, Sylveon!" Fiona yelled.

Sylveon dodged Jolteon's Thunder Shock.

"Now use Draining Kiss!" Fiona followed up.

"Don't let her close in on you!" Jason yelled. He knew what Draining Kiss was. It was a close up fairy type attack, where the user would kiss the opponent with magical energy, practically sucking the life out of them. Jason knew Jolteon would be in trouble if Sylveon managed to affect him with Draining Kiss.

"Jolteon, Double Kick! Now!" Jason yelled as Sylveon closed in on Jolteon.

Jolteon turned around and sprung his hind legs, throwing Sylveon back in a well-timed attack. Sylveon tumbled to the ground, struggling to get up.

"Jolteon, Thunder Shock! Let's go!" Jason followed up.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon fired a strong bolt of electricity at Sylveon, zapping her. She fell back to the ground, covered in ash, and was unable to get up.

"Sylveon is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Fiona is out of pokemon!"

"Sylveon!" Fiona gasped. "Oh no. Return," she recalled her. "You did great out there, Sylveon! Get some rest."

Fiona turned to her husband. "I'm sorry dear."

Justin smiled. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You gave them a challenge and that's all I could ask for. These kids are tough."

Milotic assumed a defensive stance, aware of Jolteon and Pikachu circling around him.

"Jolteon, Swift!" Jason commanded.

"Thunder Shock, Pikachu!" Kristine issued.

"Milotic, use Aurora Beam on Thunder Shock!" Justin responded.

Milotic fired Aurora Beam to deflect Thunder Shock, but was struck from behind by Swift. He still stood strong despite the sheer number of exploding stars impacting her.

"Use Dragon Tail on Pikachu and focus on Jolteon!" Justin yelled.

"Milo!" Milotic swerved her body around, using her tail to strike Pikachu, sending him flying back and tumbling to the ground.

"Pika…" Pikachu was slow to get up.

Milotic turned her sights to Jolteon.

"Double Kick!" Jason yelled.

"Twister!" Justin reacted.

Milotic unleashed a vortex and sucked Jolteon right into it. He spun around and around, unable to escape it.

"Now use Aurora Beam!" Justin called.

Milotic zapped Jolteon out of the sky with a beautiful aurora beam. As the Twister faded, he fell to the ground, struggling to get up.

"Jolteon's weak…" Kristine said to Jason.

Jason turned to Kristine. "We talked about it," he replied. "It's time. Let's end this."

Kristine gave a nod. She then turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, get back in it! Run towards Jolteon!"

"Pika!" Pikachu complied, and sprinted back into the fray.

"Milotic, use Water Pulse!" Justin commanded.

Milotic fired a ball of water at Jolteon.

"Double Team, Jolteon!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself, many of which were enveloped by the whirlpool seconds later.

"Find him, if you can!" Justin politely issued.

Milotic scoured through the remaining copies of Jolteon. She finally found the real one retreating from her and running towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Thunder Shock on Jolteon!" Kristine commanded.

This call left many spectators and Fiona confused.

Pikachu fired Thunder Shock at Jolteon, but instead of damaging him, it recharged him. Any wounds inflicted on him were removed. He stood tall and strong with electric currents sparking out of his body.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon felt reenergized.

"Pikachu regenerated Jolteon with Thunder Shock…" Fiona noted in awe.

"That means Jolteon's special ability is Volt Absorb," Justin explained. "Any electric attacks done to him are reversed, using that energy to heal his body." He faced the twins with admiration. "Well done, Jason and Kristine. Well done."

"It's all you, Jason!" Kristine faced him.

Jason gave a nod. "Jolteon! Thunder Shock with everything you got!"

Jolteon faced Milotic.

"JOLT-EON!" Jolteon roared, emitting the most powerful burst of electric energy yet.

The lightning shot out of his entire body, aimed at Milotic.

"Water Pulse, now!" Justin yelled.

Milotic fired Water Pulse in a desperate attempt to stop such a powerful attack. However, not only did Thunder Shock vaporize the defense, it went through it like nothing happened.

Milotic was left defenseless against Thunder Shock. It struck her, sending electric currents coursing throughout her body.

"Milo!" she yelled, not able to bare the onslaught.

After Thunder Shock was over, electric currents rippled the open air of the arena. Milotic stood there, dazed and paralyzed from the attack. She then slammed her head onto the floor, unable to continue.

"Milotic is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Which means the challengers Jason and Kristine are the winners!"

"Yes!" Kristine cheered.

"Alright!" Jason did the same.

The two faced each other and hugged.

"You did awesome, Jason," Kristine commended.

"So did you, sis," Jason replied.

"Return, Milotic," Justin recalled her. "You did excellent."

Jolteon and Pikachu ran over to Jason and Kristine to celebrate.

"You guys were awesome!" Kristine cheered.

"Well done, everyone!" Jason added. "This is well deserved."

"Well deserved, indeed," Justin smiled as he approached the twins alongside Fiona.

"You've worked together very well, there is no doubt about that," Fiona added.

Justin nodded. "You've demonstrated your skills as an individual and as part of a team. Most importantly, you demonstrated your ability to communicate with each other and your pokemon. You clearly want to become champions, and as long as you set yourself on that goal, you will accomplish it in time."

Justin and Fiona both revealed a box for each of the twins. They both revealed it at the same time.

"This is the Tranquility Badge," Justin presented the silver badge in the shape of a lugia's head. "Your next step in competing in the Inventum Cup."

Jason and Kristine gladly took the badges.

"Best of luck on your journey," Fiona smiled.

"You still have a long road to go," Justin added. "It will be a long time before your next gym battle in Richland Port. The Nappalchan Mountains will likely test your merit along the way. Remember that if you demonstrate what you did today all the time, nothing will hinder or halt your progress."

"Thank you, Justin and Fiona," Jason replied, humbled to accept the Tranquility Badge.

"Yes, thank you for everything!" Kristine expressed her gratitude.

"We have you to thank, as well," Fiona said. "You helped our rangers, befriended Machop, and made the most polite and humble guests here in our garden."

"Machop's going to have a lot of fun with us, I promise," Kristine said.

"The both of you care about your pokemon," Justin acknowledged. "There is nothing better than being able to work with your pokemon in harmony."

Soon after, the Twins began to exit the Tranquility Gym.

"Take care, Jason and Kristine," Justin waved goodbye.

"You will do great out there, I know it!" Fiona added.

"Bye!" Jason and Kristine both waved farewell.

The two headed back to the pokemon center. By dusk, they called their mother through the terminal in their room.

"Hi, Jason and Kristine!" Veronica smiled.

"Hi Mom!" Kristine greeted excitedly.

"Mom, guess what?" Jason grinned.

"What's that?" Veronica guessed what was going on, but she let the kids reveal the news anyways.

Jason and Kristine pulled out their Tranquility Badges.

"We got the Tranquility Badge!" Kristine boasted. "Just ten more to go!"

Veronica chuckled. "Only, huh?"

"Next stop is the Nappalchan Mountains, on the way to Richland Port," Jason added.

"Right," Veronica nodded, and seemed to change her tone to be more serious. "Remember when I told you to call me when you started to head in that direction? Well, thank you for remembering, because I have some words of caution for you."

The twins were silent.

"The Nappalchan Mountains are rugged," Veronica continued. "There are pokemon lodges and ranger outposts throughout the range and they try to make the journey as safe as possible. That doesn't mean there have been accidents before. Trainers have been forced to quit their adventures because the conditions were too harsh, or they were severely injured and had to be pulled out by helicopter. Sometimes, trainers die in the mountains. I don't want to frighten you, but it is the reality of being a pokemon trainer. Those kinds of risks are present at times.

"So I ask that the both of you be safe," Veronica spoke clearly. "It is likely that you will spend about two months in the Mountains before you get to Richland Port. I recommend stocking up and getting a lot of rest at each pokemon lodge you come across. They say those who pass the Nappalchan Mountains become more hardened, experienced trainers."

"We'll be safe, Mom," Kristine assured her. "I promise."

"That's the number one thing when traversing the Mountains," Veronica added. "Always be safe. The majority of accidents that happened there could have been prevented. Your father made it through the Mountains unscathed."

"He had two of his pokemon evolve there too," Jason added.

"That's correct," Veronica nodded. "Like I said, you can become hardened, more experienced trainers from the Mountains."

"Well, I think we're up to the challenge!" Jason said.

"We got this!" Kristine added. "As long as we're smart about it, we'll get through it!"

"Good," Veronica smiled. "Call me during your journey in the Mountains. The pokemon lodges should have extranet connections."

"Will do!" Kristine nodded.

"Have a good night!" Veronica waved. "I love you both!"

"Love you too!" Jason and Kristine both said at the same time.

The extranet comm was then cut.

"The Nappalchan Mountains sounds like a hard place to get through," Jason mentioned.

"Have no worries!" Kristine pulled out her handbook. "As long as we have this, we can definitely make it through with no trouble."

"Yeah…" Jason sighed. "But the one thing we learned so far is that nothing really goes according to plan…"


	15. Motivation Through Humiliation

**Hello everyone. This chapter begins the next arc in Jason and Kristine's adventures. They've been warned of the dangers, and this will be by far their toughest challenge yet. Can they endure the trials they face ahead?**

 **Also, thank you for your support! When I wrote this fanfic I had a lot of fun writing it, from research to planning and even editing. Posting here has renewed my passion for this story, and I have begun formulating ideas and stories for the adventures way ahead. Reviews at any point are appreciated as always!**

* * *

On the morning after their victory, the twins headed out of Saint Brandon towards Route 106, also known as Western Nappalchan Approach. The air was getting cooler, and the grass looked rugged and brown as opposed to fresh and green. Everything seemed to be getting more barren as opposed to the liveliness the twins were accustomed to. With the Tranquility Gym behind them, Jason and Kristine had a daunting task before them: The Nappalchan Mountains. They have been warned that this is unlike anything they've ever faced; they would admit they don't quite understand the reality of the situation. The only way for them to find out would be to actually venture across the Mountains themselves. First off, they would have to get through the Western Approach.

"So, we've been at this for how many weeks?" Jason mentioned. "Five? Six?"

"Something like that," Kristine replied. "And they say traversing the Nappalchan Mountains would take eight weeks alone, if we're lucky."

"If we're lucky…" Jason muttered.

"Weather, and all that stuff," Kristine lightly elaborated. "A lot of pokemon live in the Mountains. A lot of rock and ground types, ice types of course, and fighting types. For me and you, we have two pokemon left each to complete our teams. Chances are we will have a full team of six by the time we're done with the Mountains."

"Sounds good to me," Jason replied. "We just gotta make sure we train our pokemon everyday."

"And we need to figure something out for Magikarp," Kristine suggested. "Hopefully we can find streams and whatnot."

"Yeah," Jason nodded. "I don't want to keep him in his pokeball the whole time. The Coast is hundreds of miles away."

"Hundreds…" Kristine mentioned. "And to think we gotta walk all of that to get to the next gym."

"Our leg muscles will be huge," Jason chuckled.

Kristine laughed. "Oh, I hope not."

The two continued down the trail, making camp at a nice, flat area by nightfall. The next day, after their morning routines, the twins packed up and continued on.

The terrain began to change even more as hills and cliffs began to appear. Jason and Kristine could see the Nappalchan Mountains even from a long distance away, and they were still several days away from approaching the base of the range.

"I wonder if Ralts and Taillow are close to evolving," Kristine mentioned to Jason. "What do you think?"

"They're doing well," Jason replied. "I know Taillow's been trying really hard lately, though she's had some tough breaks."

"Right," Kristine nodded.

"I just wonder what I can do to bring out their potential," Jason added. "They all fight and train very hard."

"Just give them time," Kristine said. "Evolutions aren't forced; they just happen, unless they evolve from an elemental stone, of course."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "We'll just keep at the training."

After another night of camping, Jason was up and early with his pokemon the next day. He even let out Magikarp at a nearby pond.

"Taillow!" Taillow chirped as she flew over Jason. She flew at a tree at a super fast speed, clipping it as she flew right by it with a powerful attack.

"You're learning Aerial Ace!" Jason noted.

"Taillow!" Taillow made another pass, chipping another mark into the tree.

"If you're learning Aerial Ace, you must be close to evolving!" Jason said.

"Taillow Taillow!" Taillow nodded.

"Ralts!" Ralts brought up leaves through telepathic energy, and hurled them into the open.

"And it looks like you're trying to perfect Magical Leaf, Ralts," Jason chuckled.

Jolteon faced the same tree Taillow struck at. He charged at it head on, and bit the tree with electric energy pulsing out of him.

"Woah, Jolteon!" Jason seemed impressed. "You learned Thunder Fang!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Karp karp karp karp karp," Magikarp splashed in and out of the water.

"And you're trying, Magikarp," Jason snickered. "Keep it up!"

"Karp karp karp!"

"Well well," Kristine approached Jason. "Another day of intense training, huh?"

"Yep," Jason nodded. "Everyone's gotta get ready for the long trek through the Mountains."

"Magikarp included, I see," Kristine chuckled.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp kept splashing.

"Okay, everyone, training's over," Jason declared. "I say we made a lot of progress today."

Jason then recalled all of his Pokemon.

"Shall we pack up and head out?" he asked Kristine.

"Sure," Kristine replied.

The two proceeded back to the camp and packed up before heading on the trail once more.

"Once we get to the first pokemon lodge, I'll have to get Machop checked out," Kristine spoke.

"You'll have one heck of a capable pokemon once he's healthy again," Jason replied. "Did you know that Machop is strong enough to lift you up and place you on his shoulder?"

"He's like three feet tall!" Kristine seemed surprised. "Could he really do that?"

"They don't call his evolutionary line the Superpower Pokemon for nothing," Jason smirked. "You should try it sometime once he gets better."

The trail took the twins into a rugged area, where the right of the road sloped down to a flat area. They both saw a trainer below capturing what appeared to be a rhyhorn.

As the twins walked by, Jason saw that the Trainer is clearly Alex, and he used one of his pokemon to defeat and capture a wild rhyhorn.

"Return, Sneasel!" Alex recalled his pokemon. He then examined the pokeball the rhyhorn became bound to. He put the pokeball on his belt satchel before turning around to face Jason and Kristine looking at him from the trail.

"What are you two looking at?" Alex scoffed.

"Congrats on that rhyhorn, Alex," Kristine commended in a monotone voice. She then turned to Jason. "Let's keep moving."

"Hey, Alex!" Jason ignored his sister. "You wanna battle me or what?"

"Are you still going to ask me to battle you?" Alex smirked and crossed his arms. "Please."

"Why won't you battle?" Jason began to approach him.

"Because it's a waste of my time," Alex maintained his stance. "Do you still have three pokemon?"

"Four now," Jason replied. "I caught Magikarp at Lake Serenity."

Alex snorted from holding back his laughter. "I think what's even sillier than that is if you actually use a magikarp in battle."

"Are you going to battle or not?" Jason egged him on.

"I remember you yelling that I would regret ever becoming a trainer if I ever battled you," Alex replied. "Okay, if that means you'll shut up about battling me in the future, fine. Let's go. Three on three."

"I guess I can be the referee," Kristine said as she walked down the hill.

"No need to bother," Alex insisted. "I will dispatch your brother quickly. Just watch."

"Uh, okay," Kristine replied. She turned to Jason and muttered towards him, loud enough for him to hear. "Please take this jerk out."

"He's mine," Jason smirked, and approached Alex on the flat field.

"You go first," Alex said.

"Alright," Jason took position on the far side of Alex. He pulled out his first pokeball with the intent of taking out whatever Alex would use. "Let's go, Ralts!"

"Ralts!" Ralts bowed her head as soon as she was summoned.

Alex smirked. "Ralts, huh? Go, Beedrill!"

The massive bee-like Pokemon with two large stingers that resembled lances popped out of its Pokeball. It faced Ralts while making buzz-like sounds.

"Beedrill, Pursuit, let's go!" Alex called.

Beedrill charged at Ralts head on.

"Ralts, Double Team!" Jason responded.

Ralts projected multiple copies of herself. Beedrill, however, homed right at her, striking her amidst the dozen copies that surrounded her. This knocked her back, sending her tumbling once before she could get back up.

"What?" Jason was surprised. "How?"

"Because Beedrill is that quick," Alex replied. "He locked onto Ralts before she created that useless illusion."

"Err," Jason had enough of Alex. "Ralts, Magical Leaf!"

"Ralts!" Ralts used telekinesis to project sharp leaves at Beedrill's direction.

"Dodge it!" Alex commanded.

Beedrill flew upwards to avoid the attack.

"Twin Needle!" Alex followed up.

Beedrill dove down on Ralts with its needles at the ready.

"Confusion!" Jason called.

Ralts' eyes turned purple, but Beedrill was moving too fast. Beedrill dove down and struck Ralts with sheer force, sliding her back considerably. She was barely able to stand on both of her feet, suffering from a significant attack.

To make things worse, a purple mist surrounded her. She was poisoned by Beedrill.

"Ralts!" Jason yelled.

Ralts attempted to use Synchronize to pass the poison back to Beedrill, but since Beedrill was a poison type in addition to bug, he was simply immune to it.

"Beedrill, Venoshock!" Alex commanded.

Beedrill used its stinger to project a powerful purple liquid at Ralts. She was defenseless against the attack as she was drenched by it. The force behind it sent her flying back, crashing to the ground right in front of Jason. She was unable to get up.

"Oh no…" Jason sighed in frustration. He recalled Ralts. "I'm sorry, Ralts."

Alex crossed his arms. "Beedrill had an advantage against Ralts. Venoshock does double the damage to poisoned targets. That, and Ralts is weak to Poison type abilities."

"Is that why you let Jason call out his Pokemon first?" Kristine seemed disgusted at Alex.

"It's called being smart," Alex replied. "Now, let's see what you'll do next."

"Jason, let's not give into this jerk," Kristine tried to convince her brother to stand down.

"Alright, if that's the game you want to play," Jason ignored her sister's plea, and pulled out his second pokeball. "Let's go, Taillow!"

"Taillow!" Taillow chirped.

Alex smirked. "Return, Beedrill."

Alex recalled his pokemon, and pulled out another pokeball. "Go, Sneasel!"

"Sneasel!" the black cat-weasel Pokemon was summoned as it stood on both feet. It had white claws, and three red tail feathers.

Kristine pulled out her pokedex to examine the creature.

"Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Sneasel scales trees by punching its hooked claws into bark. It seeks out unguarded nests and steals eggs for food while its parents are away."

"Seems like a happy Pokemon," Kristine sarcastically spoke.

"You're not fighting with Beedrill? What gives?" Jason seemed puzzled.

"It's called being smart," Alex replied. "You going to attack or what?"

"Taillow, Quick Attack!" Jason commanded.

"Taillow!" Taillow charged at Sneasel.

"Sneasel, Pursuit!" Alex responded.

Sneasel charged at Taillow in a zigzag pattern, and struck her on the side, knocking her down.

"Sneasel!" Sneasel crossed his arms, unimpressed just like Alex.

"Taillow!" Taillow quickly got up.

"To the sky!" Jason commanded.

Taillow flew to the sky, out of Sneasel's reach.

"Dive down for Aerial Ace!" Jason followed up.

Taillow dove down at Sneasel, preparing for a well aimed hit-and-run.

"Icy Wind, let's go!" Alex called.

Sneasel, both a Dark and Ice type Pokemon, blew a breath of frost from her breath, projected into a powerful icy gust aimed at Taillow. Taillow flew right into Icy Wind, damaging her, worsening her vision, and slowing her down. To make things worse, Taillow was weak to ice type abilities.

"Feint Attack!" Alex followed up.

Sneasel leaped into the air at a lightning fast speed and kicked Taillow right out of the air, he flew all the way back, crashing in front of Jason just like Ralts did. And like Ralts, Taillow was unable to get up.

Jason didn't say a word. His hands began to tremble. He could not believe that Alex began to deliver on his words. He recalled Taillow, and grabbed Jolteon's pokeball.

"Let's go, Jolteon!" Jason yelled.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked, and charged at Sneasel.

"Return, Sneasel!" Alex recalled. He then pulled out another pokeball. "Go, Rhyhorn!"

Jolteon halted as Rhyhorn was brought out. Rhyhorn had looked weary from his encounter moments before.

"You just caught Rhyhorn!" Kristine spoke sternly. "You can't just use him in battle like that!"

"I can and I will," Alex rolled his eyes. "And I won. Rhyhorn is the counter to Jolteon through and through."

"Jolteon, Thunder Shock!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon projected Thunder Shock at Rhyhorn. It struck him head on, but nothing happened.

"Aren't you supposed to be a trainer?" Alex scoffed. "Electric type attacks have no effect on ground types."

Alex then turned his attention to Rhyhorn. "Horn Attack, let's go!"

Kristine knew Alex had already infiltrated Jason's head. Jason knew better than to hit Rhyhorn with Thunder Shock, but any sense of composure went out the door.

Rhyhorn charged at Jolteon head on.

"Double Team, Jolteon!" Jason responded.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself. Rhyhorn ran right through one of those copies.

"Smack Down! Now!" Alex yelled.

Rhyhorn used his upper body to slam down on more of the copies in an attempt to flush out Jolteon.

"Jolteon, Swift!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired a volley of stars at Rhyhorn. Again, Alex made no effort to get Rhyhorn to dodge it. Star after star exploded on impact, and as the smoke cleared, it appeared as if Rhyhorn was unscathed by the attack.

"Charge Jolteon and use Bulldoze!" Alex issued.

Rhyhorn charged at Jolteon once more, using so much power that he kicked up entire dirt mounds as he ran towards him.

"Swift, Jolteon!" Jason yelled. "Stop him!"

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon used as much of his might to use Swift in efforts to stop Rhyhorn. Still, Rhyhorn charged head on, running through the smoke like nothing happened. He struck Jolteon with sheer power, essentially punting Jolteon off the field. Jolteon came crashing down, and this time, he struck Jason, knocking him down as well.

"No!" Jason screamed as he fell to the ground with Jolteon. It was clear that Jolteon was unable to continue.

"Jason! Jolteon!" Kristine yelled, concerned for the safety of both her brother and Jolteon. She ran over towards them.

"Heh," Alex recalled Rhyhorn and crossed his arms. "Is that the best you can do? Pathetic. You should quit right now before you get yourself killed in the Mountains."

"Are you okay, Jason?" Kristine got on her knees to help her brother up.

"Yeah…" Jason shook it off. He looked over at Jolteon. "Jolteon, are you okay?"

"Jolt…" Jolteon managed to get up.

"Good," Jason was relieved. He then recalled Jolteon. "I'm sorry, Jolteon."

Jason stood straight up and faced Alex. "I'll never quit," he spoke.

"Spoken like a true idiot," Alex lightly shook his head, as if he was disappointed.

Kristine stepped forward in defense of her brother. "You're one dirty player, you know that?" she called him out.

"For what? Using my head?" Alex smirked, amused by the accusation. "There's playing hard, and there's playing smart, so sorry if actually using my brain offends you."

"I'm assuming you have the Tranquility Badge," Kristine added.

"Of course," Alex reopened his eyes, wondering where Kristine was getting at.

"Then I wonder what on earth Justin saw in you in which he decided to grant that Tranquility Badge to you, because you have no heart or care for your pokemon," Kristine continued her verbal onslaught.

That wiped the smirk off Alex's face. "I got the Tranquility Badge because I won the battle," he simply replied. He then walked away from Kristine as if she triggered a soft spot within him.

"Well, he's gone now," Kristine turned around to face her brother.

Jason was steaming. His whole body was trembling, and it appeared as if his spirit was shattered from that battle. It was humiliating to him, for him to lose so significantly. It was as if all of his effort put into training went to waste.

"Jason, are you –" Kristine put a hand on Jason's shoulder, but he swatted it away.

"Jason, I'm just trying to help you," Kristine kindly continued. "Please, if there's anything I can do –"

"Let's just keep going," Jason replied emotionlessly.

He then proceeded back up the hill and onto the path, with Kristine right behind him. He remained silent for the rest of the day, even during lunch. It was awkward for Kristine, but she didn't know what to say to him. He was a proud trainer up until this point, she thought, only to be humiliated and bullied by Alex.

Jason replayed the whole battle in his head. He thought of every possible scenario he could do to help turn the tide of the battle. Instead, he thought of the head-on approach as opposed to the divide-and-conquer strategy Alex imposed. Jason had a very hard time accepting this humiliation. He wanted to beat Alex badly, and everything backfired on him.

He later blamed himself for the loss. He figured he became so blinded by the desire to defeat the jerk that he fell into all of his ruses. He knew he couldn't have that happen again, especially if he ever wanted to defeat Alex.

At night, the twins set up camp. Kristine started to get annoyed at Jason's complete silence, even as she cooked dinner for the two. She served him stew, in which he took without saying a word.

"You need to move on," she sternly told him.

This caught Jason's attention.

"Yes, Alex beat you badly," Kristine spoke the truth. "Yes, you feel ashamed for it. How do your pokemon feel about it? Pretty freaking ashamed too, I bet, especially since you never addressed or encouraged them. You need to learn from this and move on, Jason."

Jason sat there for a moment, contemplating what Kristine told him.

"You're right…" he finally replied. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Kristine continued. "Toughen up and move on! Otherwise, Alex will keep beating you like that! You wanna beat him? Then stand up and destroy him the next time you meet!"

Jason smirked at the comment, and that was exactly what Kristine wanted to see from him.

"Look," Kristine said. "I didn't like seeing you like that. I know you're becoming the comeback specialist. But things like that happen. You just need to react to it the right way and move forward."

"Yeah…" Jason sighed. "I'll talk to my pokemon in the morning. Thanks for the pep talk, sis."

"Hey," Kristine kneeled in front of Jason. "You know I do this because I love you. You're one of the toughest people I know and I need you to stay tough, for the both of us, and our pokemon."

Kristine leaned towards Jason and placed her hand on the back of his head, touching her forehead against his. "And when you fight Alex again. Please, oh please, defeat him. Or I will."

She then smiled at Jason and got back up.

"I'll take him down next time," Jason assured her.

After dinner and some time hanging out under the stars, the twins headed back inside their tent. Jason was able to find some closure about the day's events and managed to get a good night's rest.

At dawnbreak the next morning, the twins slept in. As Jason was still sound asleep, one of his pokeballs next to him wobbled. It then opened, as Taillow hopped right out of it. Taillow then hopped her way out of the tent, trying to be as quiet as possible.

The noise the pokeball made to bring out Taillow woke up Jason, though he was still in a drowsy state.

"Wha-why is Snorlax eating all of the pancakes…" Jason mumbled. "He already ate his fill…"

He then snapped out of his drowsy trance, and realized he was awake.

"That was a weird dream," he muttered. He looked across the tent to see Kristine sound asleep, cuddled up in her sleeping bag.

"Sleep tight, sis," Jason smirked, as he glanced over to his pokeballs on his right. One of them was completely opened, and he identified that as Taillow's.

"Taillow?" Jason said aloud. "Oh no, Taillow's out!"

"Wait, what?" Kristine mumbled as Jason unintentionally woke her up. "I had this weird dream about this Snorlax walking into our kitchen back home and eating our pancakes."

"Kristine, I would tell you that I had the exact same dream and that's pretty creepy that it was to the exact detail, but Taillow got out," Jason explained.

"Well, we're twins, and I wouldn't be worried about Taillow," Kristine replied. "She shouldn't have gone too far."

"I'm going to look for her anyways," Jason said as he headed out the door. "And us being twins has nothing to do with synchronized dreaming!"

"Give me a minute, I'll be right behind you," Kristine said loud enough for Jason to hear her. She then smirked and muttered to herself. "And why not? Being twins totally had to do with having the same dream."

Jason proceeded to search for Taillow. He could hear her chirps from a distance, and followed where the noise came from. As he got closer, Taillow's chirps sounded more like attack grunts, and it sounded as if she was striking against a tree.

Jason approached the source of the noise, and saw that Taillow was repeatedly striking against a tree with Aerial Ace.

"Taillow!" she swiped against the tree with power. She made another pass, and struck at the tree again.

"Taillow!" she showed no signs of slowing down.

"Taillow?" Jason tried to grab her attention.

"Taillow!" Taillow struck the tree once more, then flew up for another pass.

Jason saw that Taillow was pushing herself to the absolute limit. Kristine was right, he thought. His pokemon were just as humiliated as he was, and they probably felt like they were to blame. Whatever the reason was, Taillow was motivated to train to the brink.

"Taillow!" Taillow struck the tree once more.

"Keep it up, Taillow!" Jason encouraged Taillow. "You're doing awesome!"

"Taillow!" Taillow made yet another assault on the tree.

"Just like that!" Jason yelled. "No one's going to stop you now! Keep going!"

"Taillow!" Taillow struck the tree again. Jason knew she had to feel fatigued.

Taillow made one more pass into the air.

"Taillow!" Taillow chirped. It suddenly occurred to Jason that would be the last time he ever heard that chirp from his pokemon.

Taillow's wings glowed, and then her entire body glowed.

"Taillow!" Kristine gasped as she stopped beside Jason, having sprinted along the way. "She's evolving!"

Taillow appeared to take a larger form while evolving. As the glow dissipated, she was Taillow no more. A swift, larger dark blue bird with a red breast, swept feathers on the back of her head, and a white underside took her form. Taillow became Swellow, the quicker, more powerful evolution.

"Swellow!" Swellow swooped down on the tree with a powerful Aerial Ace assault.

The tree was weakened to begin with, but this Aerial Ace was so powerful that it cut the tree deep enough for it to tumble sideways.

Even though the tree tilted down in the opposite direction, Jason still grabbed onto Kristine for precautionary measures and took two steps back with her. Having realized that they were in no threat, he let go. Kristine lightly laughed in courtesy over her brother's protective instincts.

"Swellow!" Swellow landed before Jason and Kristine, greeting them.

"Such a pretty bird!" Kristine said as she pulled out her pokedex.

"Swellow, the Swallow Pokemon," the pokedex explained. "If its two tail feathers are standing at attention, it is proof of good health. It soars elegantly in the sky."

"Well, she's healthy, all right," Kristine looked at Swellow's tail feathers.

"Swellow…" Jason approached Swellow. "That's why you wanted to train so hard."

"Swellow," Swellow caught her breath. She was clearly exhausted.

"Here," Jason smiled, and pulled out Swellow's pokeball. "Get some good rest. I'm proud of you, and always will be. You don't need to prove your worth to me; you just cut down a tree by yourself!"

"Swellow," Swellow nodded at Jason.

"Come on, return," Jason recalled Swellow into her pokeball.

Jason then faced Kristine. "I'm going to find a nearby stream or something to bring out Magikarp, and I'll talk to the rest."

Kristine nodded and smiled. "That sounds like a good idea. But should you go get dressed first?"

The twins were still in their sleeping gear.

"It'll just be a few minutes," Jason replied.

"Okay," Kristine said. "Then I'll go get dressed."

Kristine headed back to the tent as Jason went deeper into the lightly forested area. He found a stream moments later and brought out Magikarp before bringing out Jolteon and Ralts.

"Okay everyone," Jason addressed. "Yesterday's been a rough day for all of us. I'm going to take responsibility for it. I let Alex get to me and I won't let that happen again. Now, I don't blame any of you at all. You're all very capable and you've proven that by helping our team win two badges so far. Let's keep practicing and getting at it. Our main goal is to win all twelve badges and be the very best team in all of Inventum, and we can definitely do it despite losses and setbacks!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon howled.

"Ralts!" Ralts nodded.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp splashed in the water.

"Now I'm going to go back and change," Jason continued. "But we'll come back to this spot shortly and begin our morning routines, so we can get ready for the Nappalchan Mountains."

Jason recalled his pokemon and headed back to camp. As he approached it, Kristine walked out in her training gear.

"How'd it go?" Kristine asked him.

"They're pumped up and ready to go," Jason replied. "I pity whoever they face next."

Kristine chuckled. "I would pity whoever you face next. Pokemon don't take losses kindly, either."

As soon as Jason put on his gear, he went to the same spot he addressed Jolteon, Ralts, and Magikarp, and began his morning training routines with them. Afterwards, Jason and Kristine packed up and continued down the road towards the Nappalchan Mountains, where the air got gradually colder the further the two continued down the road.

With a long road to go to the next gym, the twins wondered what challenges awaited them. And they knew surely they would run into the rest of their friends and rivals again. To know what would be in store in the near future would be anyone's guess.


	16. Helping a Rival in Need

The twins ventured deeper into the Nappalchan Approach, and were just a couple days away from reaching the first pokemon lodge of the mountain range. They made camp by nightfall and prepared breakfast the following morning. Afterwards, they both headed out onto a field for their morning routines.

But before they sent out their Pokemon, Jason and Kristine saw another trainer in the distance, training with his Pokemon. When they approached him, they realized it was Bran, whom they last saw on the road towards Fort Lexing.

"Hey Bran!" Kristine greeted as she approached Bran and his Bulbasaur, Hoothoot, and Kadabra.

"Oh, hey," Bran turned around to see Jason and Kristine. "Reckon you're heading to the Mountains?"

"Yep," Jason nodded. "You too?"

Bran shook his head. "Not until I get the Tranquility Badge."

"So you don't have Tranquility Badge yet?" Kristine asked.

"Not yet," Bran said. "I challenged Justin and lost. He said I needed to communicate with my pokemon more efficiently. I thought I'd train out here."

"But you did get the Mystic Badge, right?" Jason added.

Bran simply nodded. "Kadabra saved the day in that battle."

"Kadabra!" the psychic pokemon gave a nod.

"But Justin's Milotic proved to be too much for us," Bran continued. "Even for Bulbasaur. That aurora beam just tore right through him."

"Hey!" Jason had an idea. "How about we battle? That would surely help you train your pokemon for a rematch with Justin!"

"Okay," Bran accepted. "I need to know what it takes to beat Justin."

Kristine approached Jason. "Remember when we both said we should pity the next trainer you challenge to a Pokemon battle?" she recalled, nearly whispering to him so Bran wouldn't hear her. "Well, don't humiliate him. He just wants to train."

"I'm not going to beat Bran in the fashion Alex beat me, if that's what you're concerned about," Jason replied. "But he said he wanted to know what it takes to beat Justin."

"How should we do this, three on three?" Bran asked, with his pokemon at his side.

"Sounds good to me," Jason agreed. "Just like a gym battle."

"Exactly what I wanted," Bran smirked. "Don't hold back."

"Well, that's his wish," Kristine whispered to Jason. "And I know you have a more noble approach than Alex."

She then spoke up loud enough for Bran to hear. "I'll be the referee."

"So I can send out my pokemon first, as if I'm the Gym Leader," Jason said.

"Alright then," Bran gave a nod.

"Let's go, Swellow!" Jason threw out his first Pokeball, summoning Swellow.

"Swellow!" the recently evolved Pokemon greeted, as she stood elegantly before Bran.

"An evolved pokemon…" Bran muttered. He had wondered when Hoothoot and Bulbasaur would evolve. Kadabra evolved from Abra just days after Bran captured him.

Bran turned to face Kadabra. "You're up."

"Kadabra!" Kadabra moved forward, holding one spoon in his hand, a trademark among all kadabra.

"You make the first move," Jason said.

"Right," Bran acknowledged. "Kadabra, Psybeam!"

"Kadabra!" Kadabra moved his hand with the spoon forward and launched a stream of powerful Psychic energy.

"In the air, Swellow!" Jason responded.

"Swellow!" Swellow took to the skies.

Swellow dodged the Psybeam attack just in time. She soared high in the sky, ready to strike down on Kadabra.

"Aerial Ace, Swellow!" Jason commanded.

Swellow dove down on Kadabra at a high speed.

"Kadabra, quick, use Disable!" Bran responded.

Kadabra pointed his spoon at Swellow. "Kadabra!"

Suddenly, Swellow was covered by a blue outline. She was immediately halted by Kadabra's move.

"Nice Disable!" Jason acknowledged. "You stopped Swellow's Aerial Ace, and now she can't use it for a while."

"That's exactly the plan!" Bran replied. "Kadabra, use Confusion!"

"Kadabra!" Kadabra's eyes began to turn purple.

"Swellow! Quick Attack!" Jason quickly called.

"Swellow!" Swellow continued her assault on Kadabra, striking down on him hard before he could get confusion off. He slid several feet backwards, shaking off the damage done. Swellow then took back to the skies.

"Your Swellow moves fast," Bran commended.

"Yes she does," Jason gave a nod. "Swellow, Wing Attack!"

Swellow dove down with glowing wings, intending to strike Kadabra hard.

"Kadabra, Teleport!" Bran responded.

Just as Swellow could make her strike, Kadabra vanished from thin air.

"Now use Psybeam!" Bran called once more.

Kadabra fired another burst of Psychic energy at Swellow.

"Dodge it!" Jason yelled.

Swellow flew to the side of Psybeam, avoiding the attack just in time.

"Now, Supersonic!" Jason followed up.

"Swellow!" Swellow let out a dazing screech directed at Kadabra.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra tried to brace himself against the attack. He was left dazed and confused, losing his awareness of the situation.

"Kadabra, stay focused!" Bran tried to grab Kadabra's attention.

"Swellow, Wing Attack!" Jason commanded.

Swellow swooped towards Kadabra, swiping him with her right wing. The attack knocked Kadabra straight to the ground.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra regained his focus.

"Let's go for a Quick Attack, Swellow!" Jason called.

"Swellow!" Swellow assaulted Kadabra once more.

"Teleport again!" Bran responded.

Kadabra teleported once more, just a second before Swellow would complete her attack.

"In the air, Swellow!" Jason commanded. "I think your Aerial Ace is up."

"Swellow!" Swellow complied.

"Kadabra, use Confusion!" Bran commanded.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra's eyes turned purple.

"Aerial Ace, let's go!" Jason yelled.

"Swellow!" Swellow dove down on Kadabra at amazing speed.

Kadabra was unable to get a fix on Swellow. She struck him, using her wings to deliver a devastating attack as she flew right by him. She swiftly flew back into the sky as Kadabra fell on his knees. He then fell on his side, unable to get up.

"Kadabra is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Swellow is the winner!"

"Wow," Bran was taken back by Swellow's speed and power. "Return, Kadabra. You did good."

After recalling Kadabra, Bran looked at Hoothoot. "Let's go!"

"Hoothoot!" Hoothoot chirped as he bounced forward.

"Hoothoot, use Hypnosis!" Bran quickly commanded.

"Hoothoot," Hoothoot locked his eyes on Swellow. Suddenly, Swellow felt mesmerized he she crashed to the ground, sound asleep.

"Now close in and use Peck!" Bran followed up.

Hoothoot charged at Swellow, bouncing towards her.

"Return, Swellow!" Jason recalled her.

This puzzled Bran as Hoothoot stopped where he was.

"You recalled Swellow?" Bran asked.

Jason nodded. "Expect Justin to do this if you land a successful Hypnosis," he replied.

"He's right," Kristine added. "Tactical substitutions are perfectly legal."

"Let's go, Jolteon!" Jason threw out Jolteon's Pokeball.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked, running forward.

"Hoothoot, Hypnosis again!" Bran called.

"Swift, Jolteon!" Jason commanded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired off a swift of stars at Hoothoot.

"Dodge, Hoothoot!" Bran commanded. Hoothoot cancelled using Hypnosis, and flew out of the way of Jolteon's Swift.

"Confusion, Hoothoot!" Bran issued.

Hoothoot flapped his wings in the air as his eyes turned purple.

"Quick! Thunder Shock!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon fired off Thunder Shock at Hoothoot. The bolt of lightning struck him before he could lock onto Jolteon, sending him crashing from the sky.

"Oh no!" Bran yelled.

"Jolteon, close in with Thunder Fang!" Jason followed up.

"Jolt!" Jolteon charged at Hoothoot, harnessing electric energy.

Hoothoot was slow to get up, suffering a massive attack from Thunder Shock. He was weak to the electric type attack, given that he was a Flying type. He was unable to react in time to Jolteon's assault. Jolteon grabbed Hoothoot by the legs, projecting a bolt of electric energy from his mouth to send paralyzing ripples throughout Hoothoot's body.

Jolteon then tossed Hoothoot, sending the Owl Pokemon rolling and tumbling several times over.

"Hoothoot…" the Pokemon faintly chirped, unable to continue.

"Hoothoot is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Jolteon wins!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"You have some strong pokemon," Bran said. "Return, Hoothoot."

He then faced Bulbasaur, and gave a nod.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur leaped forward into battle.

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" Bran commanded.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur projected vines from the seed on its back, and lunged them at Jolteon.

"Double Team!" Jason responded.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself. Bulbasaur's vines went through two of Jolteon's copies.

"Razor Leaf!" Bran followed up.

Bulbasaur fired a barrage of razor sharp leaves at Jolteon's copies. Razor Leaf took out the rest of his copies.

"Swift again!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired a barrage of stars at Bulbasaur.

"Dodge and use Sleep Powder!" Bran called.

Bulbasaur jumped out of the way of the exploding stars. He then projected a purple mist at Jolteon.

"Run and use Thunder Fang! Quickly!" Jason responded.

Jolteon ran underneath the projected spore and struck Bulbasaur with a thunderous bite before Sleep Powder kicked in on the field. Electric energy rippled throughout Bulbasaur's body.

"Grab a hold and use Thunder Shock!" Jason continued the assault.

Jolteon, grabbing onto Bulbasaur's front leg, used Thunder Shock, effectively charring Bulbasaur with a continued stream of electric energy. Though electric attacks were not very effective to Bulbasaur, Jolteon's onslaught proved to be too much.

"Now jump back and use Swift!" Jason followed up.

"Jolt!" Jolteon leaped backwards and fired a volley of stars.

Bulbasaur stumbled backwards from the previous attack. He was unable to fend off the barrage of exploding stars. He was struck again and again as smoke enveloped him. As the smoke cleared, it was clear that he was unable to continue.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Jolteon wins!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon howled.

"Return, Bulbasaur," Bran recalled him. "You did good out there."

Bran then faced Jason. "I did not even get a single hit on you, other than Hypnosis," he said. "Well done."

"Thanks," Jason replied. He then recalled Jolteon. "Return, Jolteon. Great job out there."

"You worked really well with your Pokemon," Bran commended. "Now I see why I really lost to Justin. You and your Pokémon fought like you really wanted to win."

Jason chuckled. "It took a lot of practice," he replied.

"It's true," Kristine nodded. "We've trained hard every single morning, and sometimes twice a day. We've come to bond with our Pokemon and understand their strengths and weaknesses, while finding our own battle styles."

"Hmm," Bran thought about that comment. "I think I need to search my own battle style. I feel like I lack a rhythm going on."

"Maybe we can help you," Kristine offered. "We were heading towards the Nappalchan Mountains, but you can tag along with us if you like."

"I suppose I can for a couple days," Bran replied. "Then I need to stick around here, or head back to Saint Brandon for a rematch."

"Fair enough," Jason added.

"Before we pack up, let's talk about battle styles," Kristine mentioned. "Also, my pokemon need some training time."

Kristine released Espeon, Pikachu, Fletchinder, and Machop from their pokeballs.

"So speaking of a battle rhythm, Jason and I have developed our own styles that really helped us in battle," Kristine continued. "Jason's style is offensive. I've seen Jolteon take out more than one Pokemon in a single battle several times, because Jason and Jolteon like the pressure, and they've gotten used to it."

Jason slightly blushed. "I guess you can say that."

"So when you fought Jason, he made sure that he did not give you a break," Kristine continued.

"No kiddin'," Bran chuckled.

"But if you fought against me, on the other hand, I have a different approach." Kristine explained before looking at Espeon. "Espeon, Calm Mind."

"Espeon!" Espeon said before sitting down, her eyes glowing white.

"Calm Mind increases Espeon's special attack and defense," Kristine spoke. She turned to Machop. "Machop, Work Up!"

"Machop!" Machop flexed his muscles and pumped himself up.

"Work Up is the fighting type counterpart to Calm Mind," Kristine said. She turned to Pikachu. "Double Team!"

"Pika!" Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. They all surrounded Bran.

"Double Team is a great offensive and defensive move," Kristine continued. "And Fletchinder's Special Ability is Gale Wings, which means he strikes with excessive speed when using Flying type attacks."

"So you use non-offensive moves to control the battle?" Bran asked.

Kristine nodded. "Well, I try to, anyways."

"It comes to knowing your pokemon, their abilities, and their properties," Jason explained. "I would say your Kadabra has some serious firepower, and so does Bulbasaur."

"While Hoothoot can control the battle with Hypnosis alone," Kristine added. "I saw him use only three abilities. What's his other move?"

"Reflect," Bran replied.

"So Hoothoot is more defensive," Kristine continued. "I think you have a team that is very good with both defensive and offensive abilities."

"You can be aggressive in battle," Jason added.

"Or you can take the patient approach and control the battle like it's a chess match," Kristine finished Jason's sentence.

"Hmm…" Bran pondered for a moment. "Not to knock on your approach, Jason, but I like the patient approach. I think that fits me better."

"No problem," Jason gave a nod.

Soon after Kristine got her morning routine in, the three packed up their belongings and headed back out on the road.

"So Bran," Kristine said to him. "You've been in Inventum your whole life?"

"Yep," Bran replied. "I lived in Alsten when I was younger."

"That's where the Order Gym is," Kristine mentioned.

Bran nodded. "I remember seeing some battles there. Gym battles are often open to the public, because it's highly recommended that seasoned trainers challenge the Gym Leader there after they received at least eight or nine badges first."

"That must be a tough fight," Jason mentioned.

"Oh, it is," Bran chuckled. "Hence why it's open to the public, free admission too, though they could easily charge money for it."

"It's probably against the Pokemon League rules," Kristine mentioned before snickering. "See, only the League Tournaments get to charge money!"

"Well, the Pokemon League pays its Gym Leaders too," Bran shrugged. "I guess the League tries to prevent Gym Leaders from breaking away and forming their own tournaments."

Bran turned to Jason. "Anyways, the fights are amazing. See, the Gym Leader, Zachery, challenges opponents to a full six on six battle."

"A six on six?" Jason seemed intrigued.

Bran simply nodded. "They say by the time you challenge the Order Gym, you're already well experienced in the art of half-battles, as some of the pros call it. A full battle is where it counts."

"I see…" Kristine understood.

"And what kind of Pokemon does he use?" Jason added.

"He has a team that he rotates now and again," Bran answered. "But the times I saw matches, he used a Butterfree as purely support, to inflict conditions before switching to a powerful pokemon like Garchomp. Basically, if you beat him, then you deserve to be in the Inventum Cup."

"Makes for one heck of a challenge," Kristine said.

"My brothers and I would see the Gym Battles once a week or so," Bran continued. "Some of them were insane."

"You have siblings?" Kristine asked.

"Mmhmm," Bran replied. "Two older brothers. One of them is a student in pokemon biology. He's studying in Kalos right now. The other is a breeder who lives way out west."

"That sounds real cool," Kristine replied.

"I suppose," Bran snickered. "I was definitely the youngest of the three, and they treated me like that growing up."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Kristine asked.

Bran laughed, but realized Kristine was serious. "Bad, for me, anyway."

"Would your brothers get to do anything they want when they want?" Kristine continued.

Bran simply nodded his head.

"Well, at least you're out on an adventure across Inventum," Kristine laughed.

The more the two talked, the less Jason felt involved in the conversation. He saw his sister grow fonder of Bran as the trio continued down the road, and he only smirked at the development. It seemed as if his sister was developing a crush on Bran.

By nightfall, the three set up camp at an off-road field. Jason called it an early night, heading into his tent, while Kristine and Bran sat before the campfire for a little while longer.

"So what's having a twin like?" Bran asked.

Kristine took a moment to mount an answer. "Well…I don't know what not having one is like," she responded. "I mean, everything significant that happens, like our birthdays, our first day of becoming trainers, happens at the same time. There are simply two of us, not one, I suppose. The huge difference being I'm a girl and he's a boy."

"I find it cool that you have someone like that to travel with," Bran continued.

Kristine lightly shrugged. "I just can't imagine life without my twin. Yes we fought almost all the time when we were younger. I don't want to be too dependent on Jason, because other trainers like yourself have to go at it alone, but I can't imagine doing this without him."

"Interesting," Bran leaned back. "Would you be a trainer without him?"

"Don't get me wrong," Kristine replied. "I love being a trainer. I love my Pokemon. If I never had a twin, I'd probably still be a pokemon trainer. Jason is almost like my other half. We were born together. Without him, it's just…incomplete, and I know he feels the same way."

"At least you two have a strong bond," Bran added.

Kristine gave a nod. "We have that going, and I am thankful for it."

A moment passed by.

"I was thinking, Bran," Kristine spoke up.

"What's that?" Bran asked.

"I should help you train tomorrow," Kristine explained. "We can run some scrimmages, and help you and your pokemon be prepared for Justin."

"That sounds good," Bran approved.

* * *

The next morning, Jason slowly opened his eyes.

"I just had a dream about that snorlax again…" he spoke softly when he was able to gain awareness.

He heard no response, and assumed Kristine was still asleep. He turned around only to see that she wasn't in her sleeping back. In fact, she already got her clothes and Pokeballs.

"She never changes with me in the tent," Jason muttered to himself. "I guess I had my back turned."

Jason got up and changed into his trainer's clothes. After getting his Pokeballs and gear all set, he walked out of the tent. The first thing he saw was Kristine and Bran with their Pokemon out.

"Morning, Jason," Kristine greeted him. "I thought I'd train with Bran for a little bit, if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah sure," Jason replied. "I'm going to find a stream or something to put Magikarp in before I get started."

"There's a small pond nearby here, if I can recall," Bran mentioned.

"Alright, thanks," Jason acknowledged before heading in that direction.

"Okay," Kristine turned her attention to Bran. "So I want to try out a scrimmage between Bulbasaur and Espeon."

"Espeon," Espeon sat there with grace.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur stepped forward.

Kristine walked away from Bran to help simulate a battle floor.

"So I want you to start the battle as if this is an actual battle," Kristine continued.

"Okay," Bran gave a nod. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!"

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur fired a barrage of leaves from his seed.

"Espeon, Swift!" Kristine responded.

Espeon fired a swift of stars that exploded upon impact with Razor Leaf. Neither attack broke through.

"Confusion, Espeon!" Kristine followed up.

"Espeon," Espeon's eyes turned purple. Suddenly, Bulbasaur hovered into the air.

"Now keep him there," Kristine ordered.

"Espeon," Espeon complied.

"Okay," Kristine faced Bran. "Sometimes, you have to get creative with your moves. A standard faceoff won't be good enough against a Gym Leader. So when I use Confusion, you need to be quick on your feet as to how to avoid the attack. Jason and I ran this move with Ralts and Espeon, and had all of our Pokemon, including Jason's Magikarp, go through this quick thinking regimen."

"I see," Bran replied.

"Now let's continue, shall we?" Kristine smirked. "Espeon, finish the attack!"

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" Bran commanded.

Before Espeon could slam Bulbasaur down, Bulbasaur unleashed vines right at Espeon.

"Dodge 'em!" Kristine responded.

Espeon cancelled her attack and narrowly escaped Bulbasaur's vines.

"That was good," Kristine smiled.

"I see now," Bran realized. "I had too much tunnel vision in the past where I need to see the whole picture of things."

Kristine nodded. "Now shall we have a full one versus one battle?"

Bran nodded. "Let's do this."

"Okay, Espeon, Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

"Espeon!" Espeon charged at full speed towards Bulbasaur.

"Razor Leaf, Bulbasaur!" Bran responded.

Bulbasaur fired another barrage of leaves at Espeon.

"Swift and continue on with Quick Attack!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon fired a barrage of stars that once again impacted with Razor Leaf, creating small explosions that morphed into a cloud of smoke.

Bran suddenly had an idea. "Sleep Powder before the smoke, now!" he issued.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur fired off a purple mist aimed at the foothold of the smoke. Espeon ran right into it.

"Espeon!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon felt drowsy as she approached Bulbasaur. She then stopped and fell asleep right there.

"Let's use Take Down!" Bran followed up.

Bulbasaur charged at Espeon, but he suddenly became drowsy too. What was even more unexpected to Bran was that a glow began to envelop Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur stopped right where he was as he began to evolve.

"Bulbasaur…" Bran muttered. "You're evolving…"

"Your Bulbasaur is evolving!" Kristine noticed, excited. "Wow!"

A moment later, a larger form took Bulbasaur's place. Ivysaur emerged larger than his previous form, and the seed on his back blossomed to a pink bud with four large leaves sprouting underneath it.

"Ivy!" Ivysaur began to roar, but he suddenly lost his energy. "Saur…" he fell straight asleep, curling himself up.

"Do evolutions take a lot of energy or something?" Bran laughed.

"Espeon's Special Ability is Magic Bounce," Kristine explained. "Any non-offensive status or attribute changes to Espeon is reflected back to the attacker. It's a psychic pokemon thing."

"I see," Bran replied. "Well then," he recalled Ivysaur. "Sleep well, buddy. Good job out there."

"You too, Espeon!" Kristine recalled her Pokemon.

A moment later, Jason walked over to the two.

"How's training going?" Jason asked.

"Bulbasaur evolved into Ivysaur," Bran addressed.

"Congratulations!" Jason replied.

"And how's your training going, Jason?" Kristine asked.

"Same old same old," Jason said. "Making progress as usual. Jolteon practicing his charges. Ralts and her psychic abilities. Swellow and her swiftness. Magikarp and his…splashing."

Kristine gave Jason one thumb up. "At least you're letting Magikarp train with you!"

"We have a goal in mind, and we tend to reach that goal!" Jason added.

Kristine turned to Bran. "He wants a gyarados."

Bran chuckled. "I see."

"Well, I think that wraps things up," Kristine said a moment later. "Shall we pack up and continue on?"

"Sure," Bran nodded. "But I think it's time for me to head back to Saint Brandon."

"We don't blame you," Jason said.

"I hope we helped you out," Kristine added.

"More than I could ever expect," Bran smiled. "Thank you so much, both of you. You have taught me a lot and I think I can challenge Justin to a rematch and win this time."

The three headed back to camp and packed everything up.

"I'll see you guys again in the future," Bran said to them. "Until then, good luck with everything. Be safe in the Mountains."

"We will!" Kristine replied. "And go get that Tranquility Badge."

"We'll see out on the east coast!" Jason added.

"Looking forward to it," Bran smirked.

Bran headed back on the road and headed south.

"Do you think we'll regret later on helping out a rival in need?" Jason asked Kristine.

Kristine shrugged. "Just because we'll be competing doesn't mean we can't help him. We're all trainers with one interest and one goal in mind. We might as well help eachother, otherwise, who are we really? Besides, as long as we keep training, we'll be fine."

Jason smirked. "We just gotta work harder than everyone else and make sure no one beats us."

Kristine nodded. "Bran's kinda cute by the way."

"What?" Jason turned to his sister.

"What? Did I say something?" Kristine gave an innocent smile.

"You said –"

"I didn't say anything."

"Yeah…nevermind."

The two headed out on the road, and ventured east towards the Nappalchan Mountains. With the fresh, chilly air and snow-capped mountains in the horizon, the twins are bound to hit the base of the mountain range, and with that, a whole new obstacle of challenges awaits them.


	17. Enduring the Storm

The twins arrived at the pokemon lodge the next evening, marking the beginning of the Nappalchan Mountains.

"This is it," Kristine said to Jason. "The Nappalchan Mountains."

Beyond the lodge resided snow-capped mountains as far as the eye could see.

"First of three pokemon lodges," Jason mentioned. "That means we need to be prepared and pack up on a lot of things."

"Right," Kristine agreed. "But there are ranger outposts throughout the mountains, so we're not all entirely alone in between lodges."

"Well, sis," Jason said as he and Kristine stood before the lodge. "We're going to be in here for a long time."

"Yeah…" Kristine came to that realization. "But we're going to get through it together."

The two walked inside the two story pokemon lodge.

"Hello there!" Nurse Joy greeted from behind the lobby counter. "Here to book a night?"

"Yes please," Kristine replied.

"Okay then," Nurse Joy took to her terminal. "One room with twin beds…and done. Room 212 on the second floor."

"Thanks," Jason said.

"Have a good evening," Nurse Joy nodded. "And don't forget to watch the safety video."

The twins proceeded to the nearby staircase.

"Safety video?" Jason asked Kristine.

Kristine shrugged. "Must be for the Mountains."

After reaching the top of the staircase, the two entered their room several doors down to the right.

"I do like the pokemon lodges," Jason said as he walked into a wooden interior and cabin ambiance.

"Mmhmm," Kristine agreed as she spotted the jacuzzi in the bathroom.

"So what's this safety video Nurse Joy told us about?" Jason wondered as he headed to the couch and used the remote to turn on the television.

"Welcome to the Western Nappalchan Mountains Pokemon Lodge," the video automatically began with a male voice narrating it. "For many trainers, this pokemon lodge serves at the beginning of a long trek through the Mountains from Saint Brandon to Richland Port."

Kristine walked over to sit down next to Jason.

The video displayed the geography of the Mountains from orbit.

"The distance between Saint Brandon and Richland Port is 825 miles," the video continued. "The Mountain Range extends to nearly 800 miles, making the Nappalchan Mountains one of the most grueling and daunting challenges for any trainer in Inventum. The amount of time it takes to complete the trek varies depending on the Trainer's pace, as well as weather conditions and possible sightseeing opportunities. It usually takes trainers between 80 and 100 days to complete the trek, with Richland Port just a few days away."

"That's more than we've been trainers," Kristine mentioned.

"No kidding," Jason added.

"Let's go over the key safety features in the Nappalchan Mountains," the narrator explained.

The video then cut into some footage of part of the trail.

"Always remember to stay on the designated trails with green mile markers. For your safety, it is highly inadvisable to venture off the trail due to rugged terrain and other unknown dangers."

The video then displayed what a ranger outpost looked like. "There are only three pokemon centers throughout the Nappalchan Mountains, but the Mountains host a strong ranger division provided by the government of Inventum, and along with the support of Teams Tranquility and Power, the rangers of the Nappalchan Mountains have established numerous ranger outposts. These outposts are designed to provide shelter and supplies, and it is recommended to stock up upon visiting each outpost.

The video then displayed a snowstorm.

"In the event of severe weather such as storms and blizzards, seek shelter immediately. Consult with each ranger outpost about weather forecasts before planning the next step in your trek through the Mountains."

The video then displayed a still photo of a team of rangers carrying away someone on a stretcher.

"In case of an injury, notify the nearest person immediately. Rangers are patrolling the Mountains 24/7 and will be able to assist you to the nearest outpost. Helicopters will be on standby in the event that you need to be extracted from the Nappalchan Mountains, where you will be treated at the nearest city."

The video then displayed several still images of wild Pokemon in the Mountains.

"There are many wild pokemon in the Mountains, and it is legal to capture them. But please be respectful of their environment, and be aware of the dangers they may possess. While most Pokemon will not harm trainers, some may. Sneasel, for example, likes to steal equipment and ambush trainers and their pokemon, while Frosslass is known to create illusions of comfort in their icy caverns for unsuspecting travelers.

"In any event, remember to be aware of your surroundings throughout your trek through the Nappalchan Mountains. Be safe, be wary, be responsible, and most importantly, have fun in one of the most important steps as a pokemon trainer."

The video then ended, displaying the credits afterwards.

"So this is it, huh?" Jason said.

"One of the most important steps…" Kristine repeated. "Well, bro, I'm going in the jacuzzi. I have a feeling it'll be the last time I get to do that in a while."

"Have fun," Jason replied.

* * *

After a good night's rest, the two got up at almost the same exact time the next morning.

"You ready to do this?" Jason asked Kristine.

Kristine took a deep breath, and gathered her gear. "I think so."

Kristine headed into the bathroom as Jason put on his clothes and gear.

Shortly after, Kristine walked out of the bathroom, fully ready to go.

"Day one of the Nappalchan Mountains," Jason said.

"Let's do it!" Kristine spoke with confidence.

The two continued downstairs to the pokemon lodge. Several trainers stood before Nurse Joy and a Pokemon Ranger.

"We have a storm system approaching the Western Mountains this afternoon," the pokemon ranger announced. "I strongly suggest that you all remain in the immediate area, at least until the evening."

"Well, that's day one in a nutshell," Kristine muttered to Jason in a slightly disappointed tone.

The two proceeded to the counter.

"How bad is the thunderstorm?" asked one trainer.

"It's capable of severe rain and wind," the Ranger replied. "We think it's going to be a bad one, but you'll be safe as long as you remain here. It'll take between four and seven days to reach Outpost Alpha."

"Well, we'll be hanging around here for one more day," mentioned a familiar voice. The twins saw that was Liz who just spoke.

"I guess we can get some training in before the storm comes," said Amanda, who was also present.

"Sure can," the Ranger nodded. "Just remember not to venture too far off the path. Yellow flags off the path mean the path is near, orange is moderate, and red is far. Green means you're on the path, of course."

"Gotcha," Amanda acknowledged.

The ranger continued. "If any of you have further questions, I'll be here all day." He then departed from the group.

Jason and Kristine approached Liz and Amanda.

"Hey all," Liz waved at the twins.

"Morning!" Kristine waved back.

"Hey guys!" Amanda smiled. "Guess what?"

Amanda pulled out her badges case and opened it, displaying the Mystic and Tranquility Badges to Jason and Kristine.

"Congratulations!" Kristine gave Amanda a high five.

"Thanks!" Amanda spoke excitedly. "Squirtle evolved into Wartortle against Aria and Vaporeon. And we just managed to get through Justin and his Milotic!"

"That Milotic, I tell ya," Liz snickered. "Nearly wiped out my whole team."

"You made it to Milotic unscathed?" Jason asked, impressed.

Liz nodded. "Milotic was the real challenge. But we got through her, thanks to Mankey. Charmander evolved just before the battle."

Liz turned to Amanda. "Now that we're all caught up and we're right here, we need to have a Pokemon battle."

"A pokemon battle, huh?" Amanda smirked. "Let's go!"

"I can ref," Kristine suggested.

"Sure," Liz replied.

"Jason, did you want to join in?" Amanda asked. "I think you and Kristine would make a cool ref duo."

Jason laughed. "Well, I was going to go ahead and do my morning training routines."

"You can go for it if you want," Kristine said. "I'll join you later on."

Jason gave a nod. "Okay."

As the group headed outside, Kristine, Liz, and Amanda walked towards a nearby flat area while Jason ventured down for a nice area to train.

Kristine took to the center of the field, while Liz and Amanda assumed opposite positions.

"So who wants to go first?" Kristine asked.

"I guess I will," Liz responded. "Let's go, Phanpy!"

Liz threw her pokeball, summoning her newest pokemon, Phanpy.

"Phanpy!" the small, elephant-like pokemon greeted. It is light blue in color, and has long, floppy ears and a short trunk.

"Phanpy, huh?" Amanda looked at Liz's Pokemon.

"Caught her yesterday," Liz said. "First battle."

Kristine pulled out her pokedex to examine Phanpy.

"Phanpy, the Long Nose Pokemon," the pokedex explained. "For its nest, phanpy dig a vertical pit in the ground at the edge of a river. It marks the area around its nest with its trunk to let the others know that the area has been claimed."

"Alright then," Amanda smirked. "Go, Ledian!"

Amanda threw out her pokeball, summoning the evolved form of Ledyba.

"Ledian!" the taller ladybug-like Pokemon hovered vertically in the air.

"Your Ledyba evolved!" Kristine took note.

"Yep," Amanda nodded. "Just a few days ago, too."

"You make the first move, Pandy," Liz spoke.

"I thought we agreed not to call me that!" Amanda threw a fit.

"Pandy?" Kristine snickered.

"It's a nickname she had when we were much younger," Liz explained.

"Yes yes," Amanda rolled her eyes. "Alright then. Ledian, Supersonic!"

"Ledian!" Ledian complied before letting out a supersonic screech.

"Phanpy, Rollout!" Liz quickly commanded.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy ran before curling herself into a ball, rolling herself towards Ledian.

Ledian's Supersonic hit Phanpy with no effect.

"Ledian, up in the air!" Amanda responded.

Ledian flew just high enough to avoid Phanpy's Rollout.

Liz smirked at Amanda. "This is going to be interesting."

"Ledian, Silver Wind!" Amanda commanded.

"Light Screen!" Liz responded.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jason ventured off the trail as he passed by a yellow flag.

"Right," he spoke aloud to himself. "Guess we won't go any further than here. No streams or anything nearby…sorry Magikarp."

He looked around until he could find a field flat enough to train efficiently in. That was when he suddenly saw a Pokemon from a distance on top of a large rock.

"What is that?" Jason asked, as he approached the pokemon.

The pokemon was small but stood tall in a focused stance. It is dark blue in color, and resembled that of a canine. Its ears, neck, and tail are black, as is its face, appearing as if the pokemon wore a mask across its eyes. It stood tall as it looked to the sky, anticipating the incoming storm.

Jason used his Pokedex to examine Riolu.

"Riolu, the Emanation Pokemon," the Pokedex explained. "The aura that emanates from its body intensifies to alert others if it is afraid or sad."

"It's a Fighting type…" Jason further noticed.

Jason approached Riolu.

"Hey, Riolu?" Jason asked. "Whatcha doing?"

Riolu paid no attention to Jason. He just stood there, staring into the sky.

"My name is Jason," Jason introduced himself. "I'm a trainer going through the Mountains. How are you?"

Still, Riolu paid no attention to him.

"Alright then," Jason spoke. "I'll let you be."

Jason walked away from Riolu.

"Okay, Jolteon, Swellow, and Ralts! Let's go!" Jason released all three of his pokemon.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Ralts!" Ralts greeted.

"Swellow!" Swellow gave a nod.

"Okay," Jason addressed. "Today, we're going to –"

The release of Jason's Pokemon caught Riolu's attention. He jumped off his rock and approached Jason.

"Riolu?" Jason seemed confused.

"Rio…" Riolu approached Jason and his Pokemon. After carefully examining Ralts, Swellow, and Jolteon, he pointed at Jolteon. "Riolu!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked, and approached Riolu.

"Do you want to battle, Riolu?" Jason asked.

"Rio!" Riolu nodded.

"Alright then," Jason smirked. "Standby, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon complied.

"You make the first move, Riolu," Jason addressed.

"Riolu!" Riolu charged at Jolteon head on.

"Jolteon, Double Team!" Jason commanded.

Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself. Riolu ran through one of them, confused. He then struck through another copy with an open palm.

"Jolteon, Thunder Shock!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon emerged behind Riolu, but Riolu sensed his presence. Riolu's hands glowed blue as he examined Jolteon's copies.

"Riolu!" Riolu also projected multiple copies of himself just before Jolteon struck through two of his copies.

"Riolu knows Double Team too?" Jason asked himself.

Riolu then charged Jolteon with an open palm.

"Swift!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon jumped backwards, firing a bunch of stars at Riolu.

"Rio!" Riolu braced for impact, taking the damage. His hands glowed blue once more, and he fired back a barrage of stars at Jolteon.

The stars all struck Jolteon, exploding upon impact.

"What's going on?" Jason wondered.

Jolteon emerged still standing through the impact.

"Okay, Jolteon, use Thunder Fang!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon charged at Riolu head on.

"Riolu!" Riolu also charged at Jolteon.

The two struck each other with Jolteon's Thunder Fang and Riolu's Quick Attack, knocking each other back.

"Rio!" Rio regained his balance and charged at Jolteon once more.

"Jolteon, Swift!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired a swift of stars, all striking Riolu.

A cloud of smoke enveloped Riolu. As the smoke cleared, Riolu emerged, still approaching Jolteon.

"Jolteon, Thunder Shock!" Jason followed up.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon emitted a bolt of electricity aimed at Riolu. Riolu was effectively zapped by the attack. He took too many hits to be standing up.

Suddenly, a white glow outlined Riolu. He fell on one knee, enduring the attack. He then got up, catching his breath.

"Riolu…" Riolu gave a bow to Jolteon.

"That had to be a move," Jason said.

Riolu then began to depart from Jason, Jolteon, Ralts, and Swellow.

"Hey, Riolu!" Jason caught his attention.

"Rio?" Riolu turned around to face him.

"You did great," Jason commended. "You fought hard. Would you like to join us?"

"Rio…" Riolu looked down, as if he was disappointed in himself. He then headed back to the tall rock he stood on before.

"Riolu?" Jason followed Riolu, with his Pokemon in tow.

Riolu hopped back onto the rock. He looked directly at the sky, where a formation of dark clouds was seen from a distance.

"The storm…" Jason muttered. "You're going to try to endure the storm…"

"Rio," Riolu gave a nod.

"But why?" Jason asked.

He received no response. Still, he continued training with his pokemon.

* * *

Meanwhile, Amanda and Liz were in the middle of a heated battle. After an intense first several minutes, Ledian managed to defeat Phanpy after landing Supersonic and Silver Wind. The momentum seemed to shift to Liz's favor after she sent Charmeleon out.

"Charmeleon, Ember!" Liz commanded.

A thick Smoke Screen covered the middle of the field, separating Charmeleon from Ledian. Charmeleon spat out a ball of flame right through the screen.

"Dodge!" Amanda yelled.

Liz smirked. "Dragon Rage in the air!"

Liz's prediction was correct. Ledian flew up into the air to avoid Ember, only to be hit by a sphere of dragon energy. She crashed against the ground hard, unable to get up.

"Ledian is unable to battle!" Kristine declared.

"Return, Ledian!" Amanda recalled her pokemon. "You did good, taking out Phanpy."

She threw out her second pokeball. "Go, Staravia!"

"Staravia!" Staravia greeted and took to the skies.

"I really need an electric or ice pokemon," Liz mentioned. "Or rock, now that I think about it."

"Think all you want about countering my team with type advantages, but I'll find the best strategy possible no matter what team I'll have!" Amanda responded. "Staravia, Wing Attack!"

"Staravia!" Staravia dove down as the smoke began to dissipate.

"Dragon Rage!" Liz commanded.

Charmeleon fired another sphere, this time at Staravia,

"Dodge!" Amanda yelled.

Staravia broke off the assault.

"Keep the pressure! Ember!" Liz wanted to continue the counter attack.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon spat out another ball of flame.

"Double Team!" Amanda called.

Staravia created multiple copies of herself, as Ember went right through one of them before fizzling in mid air.

"Smoke Screen, now!" Liz issued.

Charmeleon released thick black smoke, concealing himself.

"Use Wing Attack to expose Charmeleon!" Amanda responded.

Staravia descended, using her wings as a strafing attack to dispose of the smoke.

"Now's your chance! Metal Claw!" Liz saw her opportunity to land an attack.

"Char!" Charmeleon jumped in the air as Staravia came within range.

"Attack Charmeleon!" Amanda promptly yelled.

It was too late for Staravia to strike. Charmeleon jumped up struck her side with glowing steel claws, sending her spiraling down the field before crashing.

"Oh no!" Amanda became concerned.

"Oh yes!" Liz felt the momentum. "Ember! Then follow it with Dragon Rage!"

Staravia was slow to get up. Charmeleon was attacking way too fast for her. Ember struck her head on, followed by Dragon Rage seconds later. As the smoke cleared, Staravia was down and out.

"Woah," Kristine muttered underneath her breath. _Liz was good before, but she's more confident and aggressive._ She called the skirmish. "Staravia is unable to battle!"

"Er, return, Staravia!" Amanda recalled her pokemon. "You're good, Liz. I'll give you that." She pulled out her final pokeball. "Come on out, Wartortle!"

"Wartortle!" Wartortle materialized from the pokeball.

"All right, let's dance!" Liz remained confident.

"Wartortle, Water Gun!" Amanda called.

"Wartortle!" Wartortle spat out a fast and powerful stream of water.

"Use Dragon Rage and run to the right!" Liz responded.

Charmeleon fired Dragon Rage and began running. His move collided with Water Gun, creating a small explosion of steam in the air.

"Keep using Water Gun!" Amanda commanded.

Wartortle used Water Gun in hopes of taking Charmeleon down.

"Smoke Screen!" Liz yelled.

Charmeleon fired off Smoke Screen in the immediate area once more.

"This again, eh?" Amanda smirked. "Wartortle, Rapid Spin!"

Wartortle withdrew to his shell and hurled himself at the Smoke Screen.

"Wait for it…" Liz remained patient.

Amanda knew it was another attempt to use Metal Claw. But she was willing to let Wartortle take a hit if it meant she could knock out Charmeleon right here, right now. The amount of moves he used was tiring, as sweat drenched down his forehead and arms.

Wartortle broke apart the thick smoke.

"Metal Claw to catch him, then use Dragon Rage!" Liz commanded.

"Char!" Charmeleon's claws glowed. As the shell rapidly approached him, he timed it right, latching right on to it.

"Go!" Liz followed up.

"Water Gun! Now!" Amanda issued.

"War!" Wartortle spat out Water Gun from within his shell.

"Char!" Charmeleon fired Dragon Rage.

Water Gun collided with Dragon Rage when it was still inside Charmeleon's mouth. The result was another explosion. Wartortle took some of the damage while Charmeleon took the brunt of it. He was essentially struck by his own powerful move in addition to a super effective move.

"Char…" the weary pokemon stumbled backwards.

"Rapid Spin before he does anything!" Amanda yelled.

Still in his shell, Wartortle struck Charmeleon in a near-boomerang fashion. Charmeleon fell to the ground soon after.

"Charmeleon is unable to battle!" Kristine declared.

Liz recalled Charmeleon, and gave a nod. "Well played, Pandy. Well played."

Amanda's gleaming eyes from Wartortle's victory over Charmeleon turned into a simple glare.

Liz snickered. "Okay, let's go Purrloin!"

"Purr!" the pokemon crossed her arms before Wartortle.

"Use Water Gun!" Amanda ordered.

"Fake Out!" Liz quickly issued.

Purrloin pounced towards Wartortle, sprinting as fast as she could. Before Wartortle could fire off Water Gun, Purrloin clapped her hands, sending a shockwave close enough to impact her opponent. Wartortle stumbled backwards.

"Ugh, Wartortle, Protect!" Amanda went on the defensive.

But Wartortle did not respond. It appeared he flinched from the attack.

"Fury Swipes, go!" Liz followed up.

Purrloin attacked Wartortle at close range, landing powerful swipe after powerful swipe.

"Get back in it, Wartortle!" Amanda encouraged him. "Rapid Spin!"

"War!" Wartortle shouted, withdrawing to his shell and spinning it to knock Purrloin back.

With Wartortle taking considerable damage, and Amanda going on the defensive, Liz saw the opportunity to win the battle.

"Water Gun!" Amanda yelled.

Wartortle shot out Water Gun from within his shell.

"Pursuit, Purrloin!" Liz responded.

Purrloin zigzagged around Wartortle's Water Gun head on, striking him with a devious attack. Wartortle was knocked back, popped out from his shell and unable to get up.

"Wartortle is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Purrloin wins, which means that Liz is the winner of the match!"

"Alright!" Liz cheered.

"Return, Wartortle!" Amanda recalled him. "Good job out there."

"Great work as usual, Purrloin!" Liz commended before recalling Purrloin. She then faced Amanda. "You're getting better."

"Yeah, so are you," Amanda acknowledged. "I get too defensive in battles sometimes."

"Defense is a sign of weakness," Liz said. "Attacking and deception are the keys to winning."

Kristine looked overhead to see the incoming dark cloud formation.

"Well, that storm is coming a little early today," she took note.

"You got that right," Liz looked up.

* * *

The storm drew near. The winds were slowly picking up, and the temperature was dropping. The sky gradually became darker as the storm rolled in.

"Riolu!" Jason tried to catch Riolu's attention once more. "Riolu, you don't have to endure the storm!"

"Rio!" Rio still looked right at the sky.

"Ugh, Fighting Pokemon." Jason muttered in frustration. He then turned to his pokemon, and recalled them for their safety. "Return, guys."

"Riolu!" He spoke to Riolu once more. "If you want to join us, I can train you!"

Riolu paid no attention to Jason. Jason could hear a clash of thunder a moment later.

"You're going to get sick or even hurt if you stand there!" Jason pleaded.

"Riolu!" Riolu spoke, not backing down.

The sky became darker, and the winds were getting colder.

"Errr…" Jason knew he had to get back. As much as he wanted to stand out there with Riolu, that wouldn't be fair for his pokemon and his sister. He had to leave.

"Stand strong, Riolu!" Jason said before heading back to the trail.

Jason walked by the yellow flag and trekked back up to the trail. He took one last look at Riolu before he heard another distant clash of thunder. He then proceeded back to the pokemon lodge, where his sister was waiting for him at the front.

"I was going to wait a few more minutes before going back out there to find you," Kristine said to him. "How was the training?"

"Fine," Jason replied. "I saw a Riolu out there, trying to train too. Only he's going to embrace the storm.

"What?" Kristine looked over in the distance. "Jason, they're saying this is a bad storm. Why is he out there trying to endure the storm?"

"He's a fighting pokemon," Jason simply explained.

"Ugh…" Kristine sighed.

"Fighting pokemon tend to believe they have much to prove in order to feel like they have a purpose in this world," said the pokemon ranger from earlier, approaching the twins upon overhearing their conversation. "Especially if they are in the beginning of their evolutionary line."

"Should we do something about Riolu?" Jason asked the ranger.

"Our good will would tempt us to go out there and face the dangers trying to rescue a pokemon willing to embrace them," the ranger responded. "I will insist that the both of you do not attempt to go out there. With high gusts of wind, heavy rains, and numerous lightning strikes in the area, it's a high possibility that you'll get injured trying to rescue Riolu."

Jason looked out through the window as the rain began to fall. "I shouldn't have beaten Riolu in battle."

"It would not have made a difference," the ranger said. "Riolu is going to do whatever it takes to stand there. All we can do is assist him after the storm."

Jason gave a sigh, and approached the windows. "All right."

The storm quickly rolled in as it began pouring heavily outside. Jason couldn't help but stand there, looking out the window.

"You should at least back away from the window," Kristine suggested.

"There's a pokemon standing out there," Jason objected. "And there's nothing we can do about it."

"I'm sure Riolu will be fine," Kristine replied. "We'll go help him when the storm ends."

Nurse Joy then walked up to the twins.

"Kristine?" Nurse Joy asked. "I'm available if you want to get your machop checked out."

"Oh yeah," Kristine turned around. She briefly faced Jason. "I'll be back." She then walked with Nurse Joy to one of the patient rooms.

Still, Jason stood there, gazing into the black sky as bolts of lightning were striking the ground from a distance. He could hear the howling winds as the rain slammed hard against the ground.

"Riolu…" Jason muttered. "You're one tough pokemon…"

A while later, Kristine walked out to the lobby, and noticed Jason was still standing there. She went to approach him.

"So Machop's leg is healing quickly," Kristine said. "He'll be in fighting shape in no time."

"That's good," Jason replied, still looking out the window.

Kristine saw that Jason already had a connection with Riolu. She knew he wanted to be out there with Riolu, and the only reason holding him back was her, as well as his pokemon.

She placed her hand on Jason's shoulder and said nothing.

* * *

The worst of the storm soon passed. The winds were not as aggressive, and the rain was slowing down.

"Okay, everyone!" the pokemon ranger announced to everyone in the lobby. "The storm is soon passing, and we will no longer be under a severe thunderstorm warning in just a few minutes. It'll be safe to travel, but please be careful; it's going to be very wet out there."

"Good," Jason muttered.

He stood there for a few more minutes with Kristine at his side. As soon as he saw the sun breaking through the clouds and the rain coming to a drizzle, he ran out of the Pokemon Lodge to where Riolu was. Kristine was right behind him.

Jason trekked down the rocky area from the path to the yellow flag he saw before. He then jogged to the field where he had trained, and saw Riolu still standing on the rock.

"Riolu!" Jason yelled, running to him.

"Rio…" Riolu turned around. He was wet and weary from the storm. He was trembling all over the place, as Jason saw.

"Riolu…" Jason softly spoke and approached the base of the rock.

"Oh my…" Kristine gasped.

"Rio…" Riolu suddenly passed out, and fell forward. Jason was able to catch him with his hands.

Kristine ran over to Jason's side. "We need to get Riolu to the pokemon lodge. Now!"

"Right," Jason replied, and ran with Kristine back on the path to the lodge.

They came storming into the lobby, alerting Nurse Joy.

"What happened?" Nurse Joy asked as the twins ran up to her.

"This riolu is wild, and he decided to brace the storm," Jason explained.

"That's not good," Nurse Joy examined Riolu. "He's shaking."

"He's been like this the whole time," Jason replied.

"Let me take him," Nurse Joy said as she took Riolu off of Jason's hands. "We're going to get him warmed up and put some antibiotics in him. We don't want him getting sick."

Nurse Joy took Riolu into a nearby patient's room.

Liz, who saw the commotion, walked up to Jason and Kristine.

"What's going on?" Liz asked.

"I found a wild Riolu while I was training," Jason explained. "He insisted on enduring the storm, no matter what I did to try to convince him otherwise."

"Riolu, huh?" Liz seemed interested. "Riolu are known to be tough. That one was probably trying to prove himself as strong and resilient. You should see their evolution, lucario."

"I recall seeing lucario on TV in some of the pro matches," Kristine replied.

Liz looked at Jason. "You got a very good pokemon in your hands."

"He's not mine," Jason replied.

"He will be once he realizes you took him here," Liz assured him. "Trust me."

"Kind of like how Machop owed his life to me specifically because I convinced him to be carried out of the zubat cave," Kristine added.

"I still won't understand why fighting pokemon think they have to do those things," Jason shrugged.

"It's in their blood," Liz said. "It's partially why they are fighting types. They love competition, and their parents are usually strong themselves. It wouldn't surprise me that Riolu's parents are both very strong Lucario somewhere deep in the Mountains, and one of Machop's parents could be a Machamp for all we know.

"They just simply fight for their self worth. They see a challenge and they think there's no other way than to endure it. Riolu never thought about sheltering from the storm, because he only did that as a baby. Machop wasn't going to accept help at first, because he probably grew up on tough love. That is the nature of fighting pokemon through and through."

"You're absolutely right," Kristine replied.

Jason looked over by the patient room, which was closed. "Yeah. I hope Riolu didn't get into serious trouble there."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Liz replied.

* * *

As the sun set, Nurse Joy walked out of the patient's room and approached Jason, Kristine, and Liz.

"I have Riolu resting now," Nurse Joy announced. "He'll be fine. He wanted to get up and leave, and I insisted that he stay the night here."

"Can I go see him?" Jason asked.

"Sure," Nurse Joy smiled.

Jason followed Nurse Joy into the patient's room, where Riolu was resting on the bed.

Riolu turned to Jason. "Riolu…" he spoke softly.

"Hey, buddy," Jason greeted. "Are you alright?"

Riolu nodded.

"Good," Jason smiled. "I was getting worried about you out there, but I know you're a tough guy."

Riolu gave a slight smile back.

"Listen," Jason continued. "I wanted to know if you wanted to tag along with me. I'm competing in the Inventum League, and I'm traveling all across Inventum to battle with every single Gym Leader, and I'm traveling alongside my sister. She and I both have very good teams, and I would like you to join my team, if you're interested. I have two badges, but I still need ten more, and I think you and I would both have a lot of fun getting those badges."

"Riolu…" Riolu pondered at the thought. He was grateful for the battle with Jason and Jolteon earlier, and was even more grateful for Jason's assistance following the storm.

"Well, I can give you the night to think it over," Jason replied. "You don't owe me anything. You're more than welcome to join me only if you truly feel you want to do that."

Jason approached the door of the patient's room. "Get a good night's rest, at least," he said.

"Riolu," Riolu gave a nod.

Jason left the room, with Kristine waiting for him just outside.

"How is he?" she asked.

"He's doing fine," Jason replied. "I asked him to join me, and I gave him the night to think about it."

"A pokemon as strong as Riolu would be a great fit for your team," Kristine added.

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Let's see if Riolu wants to join us."

Later that night, the twins headed back up to their room, where they booked one additional night at the Lodge. While Kristine had no problem falling asleep, Jason was on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"Riolu…" he muttered. He had already felt a connection with Riolu, as if he could relate to him in some ways. Riolu didn't seem like the kind of pokemon that would simply give up on things. He seemed to be the type that would seek challenges and overcome them.

Jason loved challenges, and he knew it. All of his pokemon were trained to endure tough challenges. That was what made him good in battles, and that was what got him through his battle against Aria.

Jason wanted Riolu really badly. But he believed Riolu should have the free will to decide whether or not he should join Jason. He saw how Kristine has her team, and how she convinced all of her Pokemon to join her, save for Fletchinder, when he demanded a battle as Fletchling.

Jason's perception on capturing wild pokemon completely changed since he became a trainer. This wasn't about confining random pokemon into a ball; this was about forging friendships and enduring challenges together. This was bonding between people and pokemon, encouraging each other to grow as individuals.

Jason felt close with his pokemon, and he felt like he could be great friends with Riolu. He calmed himself to sleep when he came to terms that there should be no hard feelings no matter what Riolu may choose.

* * *

The next day, Jason and Kristine got up and began their usual routine where Kristine went to the bathroom to get dressed while Jason got dressed in the living area. After packing up their things and getting geared up, the two headed down the stairs, hopeful about making progress through the Mountains this time.

Jason proceeded towards the center of the lobby to talk to Nurse Joy.

"How's Riolu?" Jason asked her.

"Oh…" Nurse Joy stumbled for a few seconds. "He, Riolu, got up and left about half an hour ago. He didn't make any indications or anything. He just left. I'm sorry, Jason."

Jason gave a slight sigh, and realized that Riolu probably went back to the wild. He smiled at Nurse Joy. "Thank you."

"Thank you for bringing him to me!" Nurse Joy smiled back.

Jason walked back to Kristine in a slightly sad mood.

"He left," he addressed her.

"I'm sorry, Jason," Kristine patted Jason on the back. "I know you wanted him to join you, but you're a very good person for letting him make that decision."

"Yeah…" Jason replied. "Thanks. I suppose we should get moving."

"It's about five days from here to the first ranger outpost," Kristine informed.

"Let's move on," Jason suggested. He was already done with the pokemon lodge.

The twins walked out of the pokemon lodge and walked down the path heading east.

"Shall we get our morning training in, at least?" Kristine asked.

"Sure," Jason nodded. "We should find a field shortly up ahead."

The two continued walking down the road, while Jason was still digesting Riolu's rejection in his mind.

"Riolu," the twins suddenly heard Riolu's voice behind them.

Jason turned around to see Riolu standing about ten yards from him.

"Riolu?" Jason asked.

"Riolu!" Riolu smiled and gave a nod. "Riolu riolu!"

"Well, look at that," Kristine smiled. "Riolu wants to join you!"

"You want to join us, Riolu?" Jason asked.

"Riolu!" Riolu affirmed.

Jason squatted on his knees with a huge grin on his face. "Then welcome to the team!"

Riolu ran towards Jason and gave him a hug. After a brief moment, Jason pulled out an empty pokeball.

"This is your pokeball," Jason explained. "I'm going to take you inside real quick, so that the pokeball knows whose home it is."

Riolu gave a nod as Jason lightly tapped him on the chest with the ball, sending him inside. Riolu became bound to the ball without incident.

"Well, congratulations, Jason!" Kristine commended.

"All right, Riolu joins the team!" Jason cheered. "That's five pokemon, and one more to go!"

The twins found a flat area shortly after and trained there for a while as Jason introduced Riolu to his and Kristine's pokemon. Then, they continued onto the path into the Nappalchan Mountains, where the terrain became more rugged and challenging for them.

It was the very beginning of their journey through the Mountains, and despite the thunderstorm delay the previous day, both Jason and Kristine would say that they're off to a very good start. The next stop: A pokemon ranger outpost known as Ranger Outpost Alpha.


	18. A Cabin in the Frosslass Cave

Jason and Kristine spent the next several days traversing through the Nappalchan Mountains. While making ground in their journey through the notorious yet prestigious range, they came across steep terrain, jagged passages, and some breathtaking views. The path kept them elevated, and the air became cold to the point where Kristine started using a green sweater and a pair of black gloves she had in her backpack.

The twins came across the occasional weary trainer who ventured from the east, making their way towards Saint Brandon. None of them appeared to be willing to have a conversation or even acknowledge Jason and Kristine; they just wanted to get out of the Mountains.

This alerted both Jason and Kristine. Those trainers looked like they went through a lot. One trainer had her right hand wrapped. Another one looked like he was ready for the jacuzzi at the Pokemon Lodge.

"Quick preview of coming out the eastern end," Jason said to Kristine.

"Yeah…" Kristine muttered in reply.

Later on, Jason and Kristine approached the first ranger outpost, right on schedule. It was a small, one story wooden structure that acted as a miniature pokemon lodge. All outposts were equipped with food and medical supplies, minimizing the concern for rationing and fears of isolation and attrition. The twins walked right inside, opening the wooden door.

"Hi there," greeted the female pokemon ranger who was in charge. She was sitting behind her desk with her legs up, but she put them down as soon as the twins approached her. "Welcome to Ranger Post Alpha. By the looks of you, you're coming from the west, aren't you?"

"Yep," Kristine gave a nod.

"Well, you've made progress," the ranger leaned forward. "It's about a week between here and Ranger Outpost Bravo. I have a room available for you two to spend the night, but I should tell you about the possible dangers ahead."

"Go on," Jason said.

"We've been having cold temperatures lately," the ranger continued. "There's been reports of snowfall between here and Post Bravo, but there's been mixed reports as to if it's nature or acted upon by a Pokemon."

"Like a pokemon using Hail?" Kristine asked.

"Precisely," the Ranger gave a nod. "There's a snorunt cave up the trail. You have a lot of snorunt and the occasional glalie, their evolved form. But lately, we believe one of the snorunt may have been in possession of a dawn stone and therefore evolved into their alternate ghost form, Frosslass. Trainers have been reporting enchanted singing and a transparent pokemon who follows them for a short amount of time.

"Ghost Pokemon are unpredictable. Some of them are jesters, while others aid trainers along their journey. Yet some will take their jests to the next level, and influence trainers against their will."

"Tell me about it," Jason recollected. "When we were in the Cheron Forest, a gastly used Hypnosis on me one night, and dragged me deep into the forest. That Gastly among several others didn't like that there was a ralts, whom I befriended, who stood up for me."

"You'll have that," the Ranger replied. "Anyways, do be careful up there. Remember, do everything you can to ignore ghost pokemon, unless they are deliberately trying to aid you, of course."

"Thanks for the information," Kristine smiled.

The twins headed to their room down the hall on the right.

"Another ghost pokemon to get by," Jason shuddered at the thought.

"We'll be fine," Kristine assured him.

The next morning, the twins headed out of the ranger outpost, en route to the next one. They found a nice, flat area nearby to train their pokemon, which was surrounded by jagged rocks. Jason found a waterfall and pond nearby to bring out Magikarp in before bringing out everyone else. Kristine brought out her pokemon as well.

The first thing the twins noticed was how Riolu and Machop looked at eachother. The two Pokemon approached one another.

"Riolu…" Riolu spoke.

"Machop…" Machop replied.

"We introduced them the other day, what's going on?" Kristine asked.

"Eh," Jason shrugged. "Fighting pokemon."

"Riolu!" Riolu bowed his head.

"Machop!" Machop did the same.

The two Pokemon then engaged in hand-to-hand combat, throwing punches back and forth while blocking and dodging one another's attacks.

"Okay then," Kristine was amused by what just happened.

"Let them go at it," Jason suggested. "If it helps them train, then by all means."

All the other pokemon looked on as Riolu and Machop moved back and forth fighting eachother.

"How long do you think they'd last?" Kristine asked.

"For hours," Jason had no doubt about it.

"We're going to have to cut it short then," Kristine continued to observe.

"We will," Jason replied.

The twins proceeded with their routines with the rest of their pokemon. All the pokemon trained together with various moves and tactics, while Magikarp splashed around.

An hour later, it was time for the twins to move on. They recalled all of their Pokemon, and to no surprise, Riolu and Machop were still fighting.

"Okay guys," Jason addressed, but neither Pokemon paid attention.

"Machop, Riolu, it's time to go!" Kristine added.

Still, the two Pokemon were solely focused on eachother. They were training to increase their strength and endurance, and there was no better method than eachother.

"They're never going to stop," Jason sighed before walking towards the two.

He effectively got in between them, which stopped both of them in their tracks.

"Rio?" Riolu looked up at Jason, confused.

"Machop?" Machop did the same.

Jason smiled. "Okay guys, training is over," he addressed. "As much as I like to stay around here, we have to keep going. I promise we'll have more time to train, even later today."

"Rio…" Riolu seemed disappointed, but he understood.

"Machop," Machop also understood as he walked back to Kristine.

Kristine pulled out her pokeball, and recalled him. Jason recalled Riolu as well.

"Let's get going," Jason suggested.

"Right with ya," Kristine agreed.

The two ventured back onto the jagged pass and ventured onwards. Later in the afternoon, the trail followed along a steep cliff to the right, shadowed by the edge of a mountain on their left.

"So this is why they're so stingy about safety," Kristine said.

"At least there's rails," Jason noticed.

"Right, but we still need to watch our step," Kristine said before letting out a smirk. "Besides, we can't have you go rescuing me again."

Jason smirked at the comment.

After spending the afternoon trekking up the path that took them through jagged passes and scenic views, the twins made camp that night. They got up the next morning and began training as usual, though Jason could not find a nearby water source for Magikarp. They continued onwards, passing by the occasional trainer while being taken through an uneven series of paths and passages.

For the next few days it was the same routine: make camp, gather water wherever possible, train, pack up, and move on. The air was getting cold and bitter. Everything seemed to be less colorful, but grimmer. And Jason and Kristine were feeling weary.

"I could really use a night at an outpost or lodge," Jason remarked.

"We're just a couple days away from Outpost Bravo," Kristine replied, looking at the handbook. "If we really hike it tomorrow, we can definitely get there on schedule."

"Sounds good to me," Jason said. "And to think, we're just getting started here."

"Yeah…" Kristine gave a slight sigh. "I try not to look at the distance from here to Richland Port."

Jason and Kristine spent another day traversing through the Nappalchan Mountains. In the afternoon, they came across a path that took them upwards on a steep hill. At one point, Kristine put her handbook back in her backpack, solely focused on getting up the hill.

"How high is this going to take us?" Jason asked.

"Beats me," Kristine shrugged.

The two spent what they thought was a very long time getting up the steep path. As dusk settled in, they reached the top of the hill.

"Wow, my legs are burning," Jason tried to catch his breath.

"Same here," Kristine replied.

The two slowed down their pace, trying to recover their energy from the previous hike. Darkness covered the sky rather quickly, Kristine thought. Then suddenly, it became very cold.

"It's like someone cranked the AC all the way down," Kristine said as she shivered.

"We need to be careful," Jason added. "Remember what the –"

The twins could feel a sense of warmth and comfort nearby.

"What the what?" Kristine turned to her brother. He was lured by something straight ahead.

She looked straight ahead as well, and when she did, she no longer cared what her brother tried to remind her about. There was a cabin straight ahead.

"Ranger Outpost Bravo!" Kristine was relieved.

"We're here already," Jason said. "I guess we're making great time!"

"It appears so!" Kristine smiled.

The twins approached the cabin. The door was wide open for them to simply enter. Any suspicious thoughts they might have had simply evaporated to the warm embrace of the cabin.

"It's so nice and toasty in here," Kristine walked around the entrance.

"Welcome to Ranger Outpost Bravo!" said the voice of a female pokemon ranger behind the counter. She had ghostly white hair, yet appeared to be in her twenties. "Please, make yourself at home."

"Thanks!" Kristine happily replied.

"Hey," Jason approached the Ranger. "Should we book a room or something?"

"Your room is already booked!" the Ranger nodded with a smile. "Please proceed down the hall all the way to the end."

"Time to go get cozy and get some sleep!" Kristine trotted past the lobby and proceeded down the hallway.

Jason walked right behind her. The hallway seemed nearly endless to him. He felt awkward traversing though a long hallway with no doors, but that feeling of uncertainty was cast aside when he finally reached the end.

"Oh my gosh, look!" Kristine walked right through the open entrance to their room. It was a large suite, with two queen-sized beds in opposite ends of the room. She went to the one on her left and sat down on it. "It's so comfy!"

"We thought it would be a good idea to have a sense of style and comfort in the middle of the Mountains," said the ranger, who suddenly appeared by the entrance.

"You have a nice set up here," Jason said to her.

The ranger smiled. "Please, make yourself at home."

Certainly, I can't leave my pokemon out of this luxury," Jason gave a smirk, and pulled out Jolteon's pokeball.

The ranger looked at the pokeball with uncertainty, and looked back at Jason. "I'm sure your pokemon deserve a good rest, do they not? They've been training hard for days. Give them some more time in their pokeballs."

Jason thought the ranger's reaction was suspicious. "You're right," he replied with a straight face. "I think I'm going to relax and watch some television."

"You deserve a good rest," the ranger smiled. "Have a pleasant evening!"

The ranger walked away as Jason approached past the bed where Kristine was already drifting away to sleep with her clothes on. He approached the living room, complete with a massive television screen, two recliners, and a bonfire in the middle.

 _Something doesn't seem right here…_ Jason thought to himself. _Oh no._

His fear of coming into direct contact with another ghost pokemon was becoming a reality. He was bothered by the thought. Since his encounter with the gastly in Cheron Forest, he had thoughts of dismay about ghost pokemon in general. He didn't like to admit that; in fact, he kept it to himself. But his encounter with the gastly shook him to the point where he could no longer look at ghost pokemon the same.

He had to calm himself. He knew he had to remain calm of the situation and alert his sister so that the two could get out safely. He walked back to Kristine's bed and gently shook her.

"Hey, sis?" Jason tried to wake her up.

"Yeah…?" Kristine opened her eyes.

"We gotta get out, now," Jason warned her. "This is not what you think it is."

"What do you mean?" Kristine became fully alert.

"I think Frosslass is tricking us, just like the ranger from Outpost Alpha warned," Jason spoke in a whisper.

"But…" Kristine wanted to deny the truth. But she knew Jason's concern was feasible. "But it's so warm and comfortable. Are you sure it's a trick and not some generous offer of hospitality?"

"Think about it, sis," Jason replied.

Kristine then became very suspicious. "What should we do, Jason?" she asked. "Wow, I can't believe I fell for this. I'm such an idiot."

"No you're not, don't say that," Jason sternly spoke. "I fell for it too, until she discouraged me from sending out my pokemon."

"She…"

"Frosslass…"

"How – how could…" Kristine was confused. "How could she take the form of a human like that?"

"She created an illusion just for us," Jason replied. "She used our desires for warmth and shelter and exploited them."

Kristine got up. "Should we confront her?"

Jason reached for his pokeball. "Come on out, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon greeted as he was summoned.

"Let's just keep Jolteon out for now," Jason suggested. "We go quietly."

"Right with you," Kristine nodded.

The two walked out of their room alongside Jolteon, and proceeded down the hallway alongside Jolteon. As the ventured forward, the temperature quickly dropped. Jolteon began growling, alerting the twins of possible dangers around them.

 _What's wrong?_ Echoed the voice of the ranger all around them. _There's only comfort and hospitality here. Please, make yourself at home._

"Frosslass, is that you?" Jason asked. "We just want to talk, that's all."

"Are you sure you want to directly confront her?" Kristine said. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

 _We've made nice, cozy quarters just for you!_ The voice continued. _Why won't you stay with us for a while? You both deserve it!_

"We appreciate it!" Kristine kindly replied. "But we would like to know more about it, that's all!"

 _All there is to know is that this was made just for you!_ The voice replied before stating once more: _"Please, make yourselves at home."_

The twins made it to the other end of the hallway, but the door to the lobby was closed.

"Get ready, Jolteon," Jason said to him.

"Jolt!" Jolteon gave a nod.

Jason opened the door, and the twins and Jolteon walked right through. But it wasn't the lobby that they entered.

"It's our room!" Kristine said, starting to become nervous of the situation.

"Now we know her real intentions," Jason said. "She wanted to keep us here for who knows how long."

"Or we insulted her," Kristine added.

Suddenly, the nice, cozy luxury suite slowly evaporated, giving way to a very frozen interior.

Kristine crossed her arms to warm herself up, seeing her own breath before her. "This was never a cabin."

"Just a cabin in the Frosslass Cave," Jason added. He pulled out Riolu's pokeball. "Let's go, Riolu!"

"Rio!" Riolu gave a salute as he was summoned.

"You too, Espeon and Machop!"

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted with grace.

"Machop!" Machop flexed his muscles.

"Okay everyone," Jason addressed. "Let's get out of here!"

The group walked out of the icy corner of the cavern, and proceeded down a long, snaky tunnel.

 _Frosslass,_ the ghost pokemon's voice echoed. _Frosslass!_

This alerted Jason and Kristine's pokemon. When the group reached the end of the tunnel, they walked into what they thought was the main body of the cavern,

"So this must've been the lobby," Jason said.

"Should that mean we're next to the exit?" Kristine asked. She looked all around to see that several tunnels branched off from here.

"That means we were in here for a while," Jason replied. "We were probably inside here when we thought we were still outside."

"Do you think Frosslass set us up at soon as we reached the top of the hill?" Kristine asked her brother, though she knew the answer.

Jason simply gave a nod.

The group could hear noises coming from one of the tunnels, but it wasn't Frosslass. It appeared to be from several pokemon, all of the same species.

"Snorunt!" the twins heard the grunts of the small Pokemon as they entered the main body of the cavern.

Riolu, Machop, Jolteon, and Espeon were on guard, ready to protect their trainers. Jason and Kristine were ready to release their other Pokemon as well.

Five small Snorunt approached the twins and their pokemon, and greeted them with friendly chants of their name.

"Stand down, everyone," Jason said.

The twins' pokemon seemed to let their guards down.

"Look at them, they're so cute!" Kristine examined the dark, tiny round creatures, covered by a natural triangle shaped yellow and orange cloak. Their arms and legs are round and stubby, and lacked digits.

Jason pulled out his pokedex.

"Snorunt, the Snow Hat Pokemon," the pokedex explained. "Snorunt survives by eating only snow and ice. Old folklore claims that a house visited by this pokémon is sure to prosper for many generations to come."

"Snorunt snorunt!" the group urged the twins and their pokemon to follow them.

Suddenly, a gust of freezing air kicked in.

 _Frosslass,_ the voice echoed once more.

Then, Frosslass herself appeared before the twins, their pokemon, and the group of snorunt.

"Frosslass!" the elegant ghost and ice hybrid did not seem to be pleased of the situation. She possessed a hollow torso that largely resembled a kimono popular in the far east regions such as Johto, with a natural red band extending on her waist. She floated in the air, her beauty mesmerizing to the twins, but her displeasure of their desire to depart was anything but.

Frosslass' appearance alone sent all but one of the snorunt fleeing down the tunnels for safety.

"Frosslass!" Frosslass projected an icy wind at the twins and their pokemon.

"Jolteon, Swift!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired off a volley of stars at Frosslass. The stars managed to stop the ice attack from striking the twins, and they broke through to Frosslass. However, since Swift is a normal type attack, it went right through her.

"Frosslass!" Frosslass disappeared.

"Where did she go now?" Kristine wondered.

"Let's try to get out of here now we have the chance!" Jason suggested.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt ran over to one of the tunnels. "Snorunt snorunt!"

"Snorunt's trying to lead the way!" Kristine pointed out.

"Then let's follow it!" Jason replied.

The twins and their pokemon followed Snorunt down the tunnel.

 _Frosslass,_ the twins heard the voice echo once again. _Frosslass._

"She's not very happy," Jason pointed out.

"Duh! We rejected her hospitality!" Kristine replied.

"Considering it was forced hospitality, I don't think we can be blamed!"

The tunnel steeped upwards, giving the twins hope that they're near the entrance to the cavern.

"We should be almost there!" Kristine said.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt affirmed.

The twins approached another body of the cavern, where there were three tunnels, one of them leading upwards.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt led the twins and their Pokemon to the tunnel leaning upwards.

"Frosslass!" Frosslass suddenly appeared in front of the tunnel, blocking Jason and Kristine from advancing.

Jolteon, Espeon, Riolu, and Machop all stood in front of Jason and Kristine.

"Get ready!" Jason said.

"Hang on a second," Kristine said, not wanting to fight. She walked forward, passing by their pokemon to get face to face with Frosslass.

"Hey," Kristine smiled. "We're sorry if we insulted you. See, we just wanted to be on our way in peace."

Jason had seen Kristine's negotiations with pokemon succeed. He thought there was a chance Frosslass could be convinced to stand down from her aggression.

"Frosslass!" Frosslass angrily replied. It was obvious that Kristine's sweet-talking wasn't doing the trick.

Frosslass began to inhale, projected a freezing breath that could envelop Kristine.

"Kristine, get down!" Jason yelled.

Kristine ducked her head from Frosslass' impending attack.

"Espeon!" Espeon's eyes suddenly glowed purple.

That was when Frosslass' eyes turned purple. She was tossed forwards through Espeon's telepathy, flying right over Kristine's head. Frosslass slammed against the wall, but was quick to recover from the Confusion attack.

"Let's go, now!" Jason yelled.

He, Kristine, and their pokemon ran up the tunnel with Snorunt in tow.

 _Frosslass,_ the voice echoed yet again.

"She just doesn't give up, doesn't she?" Jason said.

"Tell me about it," Kristine replied.

A moment later, the group reached the mouth of the cavern. They were relieved to see the night sky, dotted by distant stars and well lit by a full moon.

"Thank goodness we're out of here," Kristine was catching her breath. "Now let's-"

A dark cloud soon hovered over the twins. Then, it began to snow.

"Frosslass' Hail," Jason noted. "She's not done with us yet!"

"Frosslass!" Frosslass appeared before them once more.

"Rio!" Riolu approached Frosslass with his fists drawn.

"Frosslass!" Frosslass looked at Riolu and began to project an icy wind aimed at him.

That was when Snorunt came out of nowhere, and charged at Frosslass.

"Snorunt!" the small Pokemon jumped up and bit Frosslass' right arm.

"Frosslass!" Frosslass yelped in pain. She managed to shake off Snorunt.

After tumbling over once, Snorunt got back up and approached Frosslass.

"Frosslass?" Frosslass seemed to be saddened that Snorunt would do such a thing.

"Snorunt Snorunt!" Snorunt confronted. "Snorunt snorunt snorunt!"

"Frosslass…" Frosslass looked down in shame. The twins wondered what they were saying.

Just then, Riolu, along with Jolteon, Espeon, and Machop, all backed down. It appeared that Snorunt got through to Frosslass.

The hail abruptly ended, revealing a cloudless night sky once more.

"I guess Frosslass realized she was exploiting her powers for fear more than anything else," Kristine said.

"You got that right," Jason added. "Now Frosslass, can you leave us alone?"

"Frosslass…" Frosslass faced the twins with regret. She then floated back into the cave.

"Good riddance," Jason muttered to himself.

Kristine walked over to Snorunt, and squatted on her knees before him.

"That was brave of you to confront Frosslass like that," she said to Snorunt.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt gave a nod to Kristine.

"Well, thank you for helping us!" Kristine smiled.

"Snorunt snorunt!" Snorunt replied.

"I have to ask though, does she actually live with you all?"

Snorunt nodded.

"I see. And she scares all the snorunt?"

Snorunt nodded again.

"Well, hopefully, she can stop scaring everyone. I heard she recently evolved.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt seemed to confirm Kristine's claim.

"She's probably figuring out how to use her powers," Kristine continued. "She may have gone too far seeing how powerful she can really be."

"Snorunt!" Snorunt agreed.

"Anyways, thanks again!" Kristine got up. "My brother and I are going to find a nice spot to make camp and get some rest."

"It's pretty late already," Jason added.

"We don't have to get up bright and early," Kristine said. "We can sleep in."

Jason and Kristine began recalling their Pokemon before walking past Snorunt and proceeding away from the cave and onto the path ahead. Unknown to them, Snorunt began following them.

"That's another reason why I don't like ghost pokemon," Jason said. "Frosslass deliberately tried to imprison us!"

"Ghost pokemon can't be all that bad," Kristine argued. "I mean, yeah, those gastly were jerks for luring you away like that. But I think Frosslass meant well. She just took it as an insult when we tried to leave."

"If you say so," Jason indirectly disagreed.

"We'll get far away from here," Kristine smiled. "At least we're out of the tunnel."

She successfully got Jason to crack a smile.

About half an hour later, the two found a flat area off the road where they could make camp. Jason helped set the tent up while Kristine began preparing food for themselves, as well as their pokemon. She kneeled down before her backpack to reach for some sandwiches. When she looked up, she saw Snorunt in front of her.

"Snorunt?" Kristine was slightly startled. "You've followed us out this far?"

"Snorunt Snorunt!" Snorunt replied as if it was trying to tell Kristine something. "Snorunt Snorunt!"

"I can't really understand what you're saying," Kristine said.

"If Snorunt followed us this far, there could only be one thing," Jason chimed in. "Snorunt wants to join you."

"Snorunt!" Snorunt nodded.

"You want to join me?" Kristine asked. "May I ask why?"

Snorunt faced the opposite direction, looking towards the direction of the cavern. It shook its head before turning to Kristine. It then nodded.

"So you don't want to go back there?" Kristine asked.

Snorunt nodded.

"And you want to join us?"

Snorunt nodded again.

"That's a very big commitment," Kristine explained. "You see, there's much more to the world than these mountains. My name is Kristine, by the way. My brother Jason and I are traveling through these mountains in our adventure to compete in the Inventum Cup. Once we get out of here, there's much more to see. We're competing in the Inventum League, which means there will be plenty of Pokemon battles.

"If you're interested in joining me, you'll be seeing everything Inventum has to offer. I'll also train you every single day so that you can be the toughest snorunt around. It's going to be a tough challenge, but we'll have a lot of fun along the way. What do you say?"

"Snorunt!" Snorunt jumped once, ready to join Kristine's team without hesitation.

"Very well, then," Kristine pulled out an empty pokeball, and presented it to Snorunt.

"This is your pokeball," Kristine continued. "This will keep you safe and sound at night, or when there's danger."

"Snorunt," Snorunt gave a nod.

Kristine tapped Snorunt with the pokeball, sending it in. Snorunt became bound to the ball without resistance.

"Alright, Snorunt joins the team!" Kristine cheered.

"Congrats, sis," Jason commended.

"Thanks!" Kristine stood up before pulling out her pokedex to examine the snorunt she just captured.

"Let's see…" Kristine muttered. "Okay," spoke louder. "Snorunt knows Bite, Icy Wind, Ice Shard, and Double Team."

"He knows Double Team?" Jason seemed intrigued.

"That's what the pokedex says," Kristine replied. "It's also a she."

"A she?" Jason felt goosebumps.

"Yeah. What's up?" Kristine took notice.

"That means Snorunt has the potential to evolve into Frosslass," Jason explained.

"Only if I expose her to a dawn stone," Kristine shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"Just don't tell Team Mystic you have a Snorunt," Jason advised. "Or they'll hand you a dawn stone to try to 'bring out her full potential'".

"Jason, please," Kristine chuckled. "This is a friendly snorunt. Even if she evolves into Frosslass, I'm pretty sure she would still be friendly."

"Okay," Jason seemed to calm down.

The two soon prepared food for themselves and their pokemon, and Snorunt was introduced to the team. They later got some shuteye, and had a late morning getting prepared and starting their routines the next day. By midmorning, they ventured out on the road.

It wasn't until the next day where they managed to reach Outpost Bravo by the afternoon.

"So this is the real Ranger Outpost Bravo," Kristine said, as she and Jason stood before a wooden cabin.

The two opened the door and proceeded inside.

The male Ranger behind the counter looked up at the twins. "Oh, hey," he spoke. "Welcome to Ranger Outpost Bravo."

"Thank goodness," Jason was relieved.

"Which direction are you heading?" the Ranger asked.

"We're heading east," Kristine replied.

"Got a long ways to go," the Ranger stretched his legs. "Anyways, you're free to take whatever room you want."

Jason looked down the hallway. It was short, with only two doors on each side.

"This is the real one, all right," Jason said before taking the first door on the right.

"What does he mean by that?" the ranger was curious, asking Kristine.

"Oh, we've had trouble with Frosslass the other day," Kristine replied.

"You guys too?" the ranger replied. "She's been tricking trainers lately."

"I think we got her to stop it," Kristine said.

"Well, thanks," the ranger gave a nod.

Kristine headed to the room Jason had claimed for both of them. She walked inside to see a perfectly normal studio with twin beds and no television.

"Much better," Kristine looked around with a smile on her face.

"Right?" Jason sat down on one of the beds.

The twins rested for the afternoon and evening, preparing themselves for what's to come ahead. They spent almost two weeks traversing the Nappalchan Mountains, yet they still got a long way to go. With two more ranger outposts to go before reaching the Central Pokemon Lodge, the twins were eager to tackle the challenges ahead.

* * *

 **A/N: Next chapter is going to be very emotionally powerful. I feel like I need to give a heads up on this, but yeah, it's going to be a good one.**


	19. Emergency in the Mountains

**Hey everyone. This is a fair warning: this is an emotional chapter. Just a heads up.**

* * *

The further the twins traveled along the Nappalchan Mountains, the more challenging it became. It had been two weeks since they entered the Mountains, and already, they felt weary. Their reward, for the time being, would be the pokemon lodge nested in the center of the Mountains.

Yet the pokemon lodge was projected to be two and a half to three weeks away. Between the twins and the lodge were two ranger outposts known as Charlie and Delta. Each one would supply the twins with the necessities they would need to get through to the pokemon lodge.

"I wonder why they built a pathway through the Mountains?" Jason asked.

Kristine pulled out her handbook and showed the geography of Inventum to Jason.

"See the Nappalchan Mountains way up north?" she pointed out. "They're massive. Remember the mountains we passed when we entered the Cheron Forest? Or the Rugged Pass even? It's all extensions of the Nappalchan Mountains."

"So you mean to tell me we've technically been in the Nappalchan Mountains our entire time being trainers?"

"Eh, that's one way of putting it. The only way to avoid it, from where we started from, is if we headed south or west. But neither path is a good idea, because we'd be making laps all over Inventum getting badges. But if we headed west from Saint Brandon instead, we would have avoided the Nappalchan Mountains altogether, with Richland Port being our last stop. But that would mean we have to traverse through a desert and fight Gym Leaders known for challenging the most advanced of trainers."

"Dad was out there in the Barren Wastes. Just saying."

Kristine stopped. "You really think he would want us to go out there right now, instead of taking literally the same path he took when he was our age?"

Jason also stopped. "Well…no…now that you put it that way."

"Exactly! Let's just get through these mountains, and we'll be looking good heading down the east coast."

The twins continued onwards through the Nappalchan Mountains. The beautiful scenery became less apparent the further the twins traveled along the narrow passages and corridors through uneven terrain.

Later that afternoon, Kristine took to her handbook as the two ventured along.

"Interesting," Kristine muttered as she was reading an entry in the Nappalchan Mountains.

"What's that?" Jason became curious.

"There's been sightings of articuno deep in the Mountains," Kristine replied.

Jason looked to his left, where an entire range of snow-capped mountains lies before him.

"So, somewhere over there is an articuno nest…" he pondered.

"Probably," Kristine replied.

Jason and Kristine spent the rest of the day thinking about the possibility of articuno living in the Nappalchan Mountains, as well as the chances of seeing one up close. They made camp that evening and continued after training the next morning. After two more days of traveling through the Mountains, they were feeling weary once more. But they had to look forward to Ranger Outpost Charlie, which was only a few days away.

Every day was the same routine. The twins released all of their Pokemon, while Jason would release Magikarp at any safe water source he could find, and they would commence training. The twins saw progress made in their pokemon each day. Riolu and Machop continued their non-stop fighting, but they became stronger and more rugged in the process. Jolteon and Pikachu were both mastering their lightning attacks, while Ralts and Espeon honed their psychic abilities.

Swellow and Fletchinder would soar through the Mountains each morning. They would even make the twins jealous now and again, leaving them thinking what it would be like to see through the eyes of avian pokemon.

Snorunt practiced her ice type abilities, while Jolteon helped her perfect Double Team. Even Magikarp made progress with his jumping abilities. At one point, he jumped right out of a nearby stream and flopped on the ground before Jason was able to put him back in.

Seeing their Pokemon enjoy the environment and enjoy the chance to get out and aspire to train and become stronger every day helped ease the feeling of weariness for the twins. Jason and Kristine even let some of their pokemon out from time to time to travel with them, and that helped strengthen the bond between them and their pokemon. They came to realize that their pokemon were in this just as much as they were, and their Pokemon's desire to overcome the challenges of the Nappalchan Mountains helped inspire the twins to do the same.

This soothed the process of reaching Outpost Charlie, marking the next step in the trek across the Mountains. Unlike the first two outposts, Outpost Charlie resided atop a hill as the twins had to climb a set of stone stairs that spiraled around the hill. Once they walked inside, they noticed three rangers in the lobby.

"Hey there," a female Ranger with short blonde hair greeted. "Welcome to Ranger Outpost Charlie."

"Hey, thanks!" Kristine replied. "We're heading east. It's nice to get some rest once in a while."

"Well, you're making progress, that's for sure," another female ranger, who had jet black hair, added.

"So why are you all on top of a hill?" Jason asked.

"Outpost Charlie serves as an observation post for this section of the Nappalchan Mountains," the male Ranger explained. "Outpost Delta is our twin, technically, set up the same exact way we are. Outposts Echo and Foxtrot, opposite of the central pokemon lodge, are also the same."

"We're really in the middle of the Mountains, aren't we?" Kristine snickered.

"Technically speaking," the woman with blonde hair replied. "Welcome to the toughest part of the Mountains. It'll be at least a month before you get to Outpost Foxtrot, where you'll be out of the storm, so to speak."

"So enduring a thunderstorm and being under Frosslass' illusion is just a warm-up?" Jason said lightheartedly.

"We've heard about that frosslass," the woman with black hair said. "Hope she didn't cause you any harm."

"Nah," Kristine replied. "She just spooked us, that's all."

"Well," the male ranger spoke up. "Now that you're here, you wanna see something really cool?"

Jason shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

The male Ranger led the twins to the back of the outpost, where there was a balcony leading right over the edge of the hill.

"Woah," Kristine muttered in complete awe. The twins overlooked the vast mountain range, where they could see for miles upon miles.

"It's like we're on the edge of the world…" Jason spoke, seeing how far the mountain range extended. It seemed like it never ended.

"Come over here," the male Ranger signaled the twins to approach the rails.

Jason and Kristine approached the Ranger and stood next to him.

"See that hill over there?" the Ranger pointed ahead. "That's Outpost Delta. It'll take about a week to get from here to there on foot."

"Yet it feels like it's within our grasp," Kristine said.

"Try looking even further," the Ranger continued.

Jason looked past the distant hill, and saw a vague object nested in the mountains far away.

"Is that the Pokemon Lodge over there?" he asked.

"Sure is," the ranger confirmed. "You're about two weeks away, give or take."

"And to think that's the halfway mark…" Kristine added.

"More like the 40 percent mark," the Ranger corrected.

"Halfway sounds much better," Kristine smiled.

The ranger smirked at the comment. "We're all on high ground for a reason. We keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, such as distress calls, or any emergency situation really. We even have a chopper on standby at the pokemon lodge."

"I see," Jason said.

"Anyways," the ranger turned around and proceeded back inside. "You're free to hang out here for as long as you like. Go ahead and take the second room to the left in the hallway."

"Thanks!" Kristine replied.

The twins spent a few more moments outside.

"And to think, we gotta go back down and walk through all of that," Jason said.

"Looks intimidating, huh?" Kristine replied.

Jason shook his head. "It reminds me what it takes to be a pokemon trainer. That's the challenge right there. We have to do it!"

Kristine smiled. "You're right. Although, it they just had a zipline from here to the pokemon lodge, I wouldn't mind that."

"That would actually be awesome," Jason contemplated briefly.

The twins stepped back inside a moment later. They still had an entire afternoon to kill before dusk, and they spent that valuable extra time resting. At night, they made dinner for themselves and fed their pokemon outside the building. By dawn of the next morning, the two prepared themselves for the day ahead.

They only saw the blonde ranger out front, but they were able to stock up on fresh supplies before continuing forward.

"Safe travels, you two," the Ranger said before the twins departed. "We have excellent weather for the next several days, so there shouldn't be a problem getting to Outpost Delta."

"Okay, thanks!" Kristine acknowledged before she and Jason headed out.

They took one more look at the horizon before proceeding downstairs.

"How long from here to there?" Jason asked. "A week?"

"Give or take," Kristine said. "Most of these Outposts are about a week apart."

"Well," Jason smirked. "Let's get to work."

The twins found a nice training spot with a nearby pond below. After the morning routine, they continued along the path, passing by the occasional green flag. They trekked past jagged ridges as they realized they entered the heart of the mountain range.

"All of those beautiful mountains, we've seen since we were little," Kristine mentioned. "And here we are, in the middle of them."

"Yeah…" Jason looked around his surroundings.

The twins were walked through a path that cut right between a pair of ridges on their left and right.

"This is amazing," Kristine gazed all around her.

"Isn't it?" Jason completely agreed.

The scenery mesmerized the twins. The ridges made them realize how small they actually are in relation to the world around them. Yet at times, they felt like they can take the world on.

The path led the twins past the ridges, curving by a cliff that overlooked more of the mountain range. Jason and Kristine spent a moment sightseeing.

"And to think we haven't seen a wild pokemon in a while," Kristine recalled.

"Yet there's got to be thousands of them," Jason assumed.

The ground suddenly shook beneath them.

"What's that?" Kristine held on to the rails before the cliff. "An earthquake?"

"I don't think that was an earthquake," Jason replied, doing the same.

The shaking stopped a moment later. They heard a loud noise, like something was smashing out of the mountain below them.

"Is that…" Kristine stopped in the middle of her sentence, looking at a massive Pokemon burrowing its way through the mountains.

"Onix…" Jason finished her sentence. They looked on as the giant rock snake pokemon carved tunnels into the mountains below.

"We should keep an eye out for things like that," Kristine suggested. "We don't want an onix blasting out in front of us."

"You got that right," Jason smirked at the comment.

The two continued onwards as the path sloped down. They spent the night at a flat area underneath jagged cliff that sheltered them from the cold.

Every day was the same routine: commence training, travel, take a lunch break, travel some more, and make camp in the evening. The further the twins traversed through the mountains, the more the routine became cemented into Jason's brain. His pokemon even followed his lead.

Kristine observed Jason day after day. Where she thought he needed to take it easy, he wanted to keep going. It was as if he became a robot, automated with his actions. He wanted to cover a lot of ground every day. He wanted to train hard every day. Because to him, the reward was getting out of the Nappalchan Mountains. That was the prize that he saw, and he was intent on reaching that goal.

Kristine desired the same goal. But she thought that Jason had become consumed by that goal. He worked tirelessly everyday. While he had come to realize he needed to be sympathetic to his sister and their pokemon at times, he kept pushing himself every day to take that extra mile. During the twins' journey to Outpost Delta, it seemed as if Jason lost all awareness for his own safety.

The trip between Charlie and Delta was long and weary for the twins, yet Jason kept pushing himself. By the time they got to Outpost Delta one evening, Kristine was exhausted.

"You're going to have to give me some time to climb these stairs, Jason," Kristine spoke, standing before the staircase that spiraled around the hill hosting Outpost Delta, just like Outpost Charlie.

"All the way, Kristine!" Jason said, as he walked up the stairs. "You can do it!"

"Yeah…" Kristine sighed, and attempted to follow her brother.

Kristine was amazed to see how much faster Jason was going than her. He looked back at her several times, trying to slow his pace for her.

 _He has to be exhausted too,_ she contemplated. _This whole no quitting mentality is really getting to him._

Suddenly, Kristine slipped on an uneven cobble.

"Agh!" she felt her adrenaline kick in. She managed to grab onto the rails to prevent herself from falling onto the stone stairs, or even falling down them.

She looked to her left to see Jason running down towards her, skipping steps as he was trying to come to her aid.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Kristine maintained her balance, and took her hands off the rails. _He could've just hurt himself there trying to get to me,_ she thought. _His own safety is irrelevant to him!_

"Kristine?" Jason tried to get her attention.

"Yeah yeah," Kristine brushed herself off. "I'm fine."

"Do you need any help up?"

"I'm okay, Jason," Kristine gave a light smile.

"Okay," Jason acknowledged.

The twins continued up the stairs side by side, eventually reaching Outpost Delta.

"Welcome to Outpost Delta!" greeted an older individual with slick gray hair and a goatee. "Heading east or west?"

"East," Kristine simply replied.

"Nearly halfway there!" the man said. "Well, sort of. Only if you look at the Lodge as the center point, and not so much the distance."

"So we've been told," Jason chuckled.

"Anyways, take the first room on the left," the man continued. "Both of you look exhausted."

"Gotcha," Kristine gave a nod. "Thanks!"

The twins headed to the first room on the left within the nearby hallway. Jason was the first one inside, while Kristine made sure to shut the door after she walked in.

"Hey Jason?" she addressed.

"Yeah sis?" he turned around to face her.

"I know the Nappalchan Mountains are a challenge that you want to overcome, and I think I want to reach that goal just as much as you do," she said. "But I see you pushing yourself too hard. Please, just be aware of your own safety, okay?"

"I'm sorry if I concerned you in any way," Jason sincerely responded. "But I'm loving this! The training involved and the challenges ahead! Kristine, the Nappalchan Mountains are notorious to all trainers, and we're making progress! We're actually doing it!"

"Yeah," Kristine smiled, and gave a sigh. "We are doing it, and I'm happy about it. I just want you to be concerned about your own safety just as much as you are for mine. The way you ran for me earlier looked like you were about to tumble down just to reach me."

She then took a deep breath and continued. "I know my brother well. You will do whatever it takes to get through the Mountains. You will sacrifice everything to make sure I am safe, as well as our Pokemon. Just please look after yourself, because I can't be the only one doing that."

"I'll be careful, Kristine," Jason replied. "I'll try to take it easy from time to time."

"Please do," Kristine said.

She wondered if Jason actually listened to her. She had hoped that he would take her words in consideration. She used the bathroom to change into her white t-shirt and green pajama bottoms before going to bed, while Jason changed in the bedroom.

The two fell asleep. It didn't surprise Kristine that Jason fell sound asleep first, while she was still wide-awake.

 _I don't know why,_ she thought. _But I have a bad feeling about what's to come._

Kristine managed to fall asleep sometime later. By dawn of the next day, Jason was the first to get up. Kristine got up shortly after, only to see that Jason was almost ready to head out for the day.

"Give me some time to get ready," she said to him. "In the meantime, you should relax."

"Sure," Jason acknowledged. He sat down at the nearby round table while Kristine got up and went to the bathroom with her backpack.

Jason sat there, fiddling with his thumbs. He wanted to get out there already and move onto the pokemon lodge. He then browsed through his pokedex, examining the moves and abilities of all of his pokemon.

A short while later, Kristine came out, ready to go.

"Let's hit it!" she said.

"Alright!" Jason shot right up.

The two proceeded out to the lobby of the outpost.

"Projections say easy weather from here to the center," the man addressed before the twins left. "But bad weather can quickly move in, and we can't predict the weather if it's too far out. So be careful out there."

"Will do!" Kristine replied. She and Jason then proceeded out the door.

The twins walked back down the stairs. It took them longer than usual to find a nice training spot. They eventually found a flat area with several small rocks and a nearby stream. They released all of their pokemon for another round of training.

Kristine saw that Jason was still energetic and hard working. He was still pushing himself, even though he was working to motivate all of his pokemon. She also observed how Machop and Riolu were skirmishing as usual.

"That's it," she muttered to herself with a smile. "If Jason were a pokemon, he'd be a fighting pokemon. But what would that make me?"

Espeon then came up to Kristine. "Espeon!" she greeted.

"A psychic type!" Kristine concluded. "It would make sense."

After another round of training and perfecting moves, the twins recalled all of their pokemon before moving on. After making camp that evening, the twins had a quiet evening where they could get a lot of sleep in before heading out the next day.

Jason was the first one to gear up and head out. As soon as Kristine walked out of the tent after getting dressed, she saw her own breath before her. She then embraced the chilling temperatures outside.

"My, it's cold outside!" she spoke as Jason stood there, gazing at the mountains before him.

"Just another day in the Mountains," Jason replied.

"Right."

"Shall we get started on the training?"

"Under this weather? Maybe we should give our pokemon a rest for once."

"But it's sunny outside."

"Jason, it's freezing. I'm wearing a sweater and I'm freezing!"

Jason sighed. "Alright, sis. We can delay the training."

"It's not a big deal," Kristine assured him.

The two packed up and continued down the path.

"You should at least zip up your jacket," Kristine suggested. "You need to keep yourself warm."

"I'm fine, Kristine." Jason said. He sneezed a second later.

"Bless you," Kristine generously said.

Jason sneezed again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kristine asked.

"I'm fine, sis," Jason insisted.

He sneezed again.

"Normal sneezes come in pairs!" Kristine started to become concerned. "That was three sneezes!"

Jason sneezed once more.

"Four sneezes!" Kristine corrected herself.

"It's nothing," Jason continued to insist he was okay. "Must be allergies or something."

"Allergies?" Kristine looked around her. "There's nothing here that could possibly give you allergies."

"Kristine, I'll be fine," Jason looked at her.

"Alright," she let it go. "Just looking out for you, bro. That's all."

The two continued down the path. As the day progressed, Jason felt weary. During lunch, Kristine saw that Jason's eyes were turning red. They continued onwards after lunch and made camp by nightfall.

"You should sleep in," Kristine suggested. "I think you have a bug. You need to get rid of it."

"Right," Jason replied.

"Here," Kristine reached into her backpack, and showed some supplies to Jason. "I have cough medicine and medicine that will help you sleep. Take them."

Jason took the pills from his sister. She handed him a canteen of water.

"Take lots of water," she continued. "We'll be bottling them up as much as possible. We'll also keep them separate so I don't get sick."

"Gotcha," Jason acknowledged.

The two went to bed shortly after. Jason woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat, and struggled to get back to sleep. He tossed and turned as he sweated throughout his body. Eventually, he wore himself out before going back to sleep.

The next morning, Jason woke up drowsy and fatigued. Yet he still pushed himself to get up and get dressed before heading out of the tent.

Kristine woke up moments later, and realized Jason was already up. "Oh geez."

She walked out, still in her pajamas, to attempt to confront Jason and tell him to come back in. She was quickly reminded of the very cold weather, making it unbearable for her feet. She quickly retreated back in.

"What am I going to do with him?" she muttered. "He's going to get real sick!"

Kristine quickly put her clothes on before heading back out.

"Jason!" she got his attention. "Get back here, get inside, now! I will get dressed, go out, have Fletchinder make a fire, and I'll prepare soup."

"Uh…" Jason stopped before Kristine's authority, and complied. "Okay." He then proceeded inside.

"I should do that more often," Kristine spoke to herself, feeling accomplished.

As Jason went back inside, Kristine called out Flechinder to light a small fire outside in order to prepare soup for her and her brother. Moments later, she walked back inside.

"Here," Kristine offered Jason a bowl of soup.

Jason gladly took it. "Thanks, sis."

"Anytime," Kristine smiled. "Let's take it easy today, okay? Take it nice and slow. We need to neutralize your cold. We don't want it to be worse."

"Gotcha," Jason nodded.

"Good."

After their morning soup, the twins packed up once more and headed back onto the path.

Jason felt worse and worse throughout the day. He kept sneezing, and his sore throat ached to no end. He felt dizzy at one point, prompting Kristine to call an early lunch. They traveled with frequent resting breaks, resulting in not much ground covered for the day.

"You picked up the cold in the absolute worst time," Kristine said.

"It's not like I decided to get one," Jason defended before sneezing.

"I know," Kristine sighed. "It's just that we're still four or five days from the Pokémon Lodge, and they have the stuff you heal you up in no time."

"I don't think what I have is just a cold," Jason leaned against a rock.

"Let me feel your head," Kristine placed her hand on Jason's forehead.

"No, I don't think you have just a cold," Kristine agreed. "Feels like a fever. Okay, we're making camp here."

Kristine did most of the work setting up the tent for the evening. She prepared more hot soup while Jason rested inside the tent.

"We just need to get that fever down," Kristine said. "Have some soup."

Jason took the bowl. "I'll get through this," he assured her.

Kristine smiled. "I know you will."

Jason's condition worsened throughout the night. He was sweating profusely, and he began coughing uncontrollably. His coughing kept Kristine awake as she became worried over his well-being.

Jason had a very difficult time staying asleep. His whole body ached, and his legs felt restless. He was coughing so frequently and hard that his throat strained. Kristine started to wonder if Jason was coughing up mucus or worse.

 _It'll get better,_ Kristine assured herself. _Jason's tough. He's going to get through this. Maybe the illness is trying to exit his system._

It was a long night for the twins. Jason's sickness was unrelenting on him, and he struggled mightily to get to sleep. Kristine wasn't sure what to do. She didn't know if she should comfort her brother or just let him cough it out and hope for the situation to get better in the morning. She believed she did all she can to help suppress Jason's illness. While she occasionally thought this was something far more severe than a fever, she purged those thoughts with positivity, constantly reassuring herself that everything will be fine.

Dawn finally rose. Kristine was sound asleep, but Jason was awake, only getting a few hours of sleep the previous night. He lifted his head, but it felt heavy. He also felt dizzy with everything rocking back and forth before him.

"We have to keep going…" he muttered. "I can't let us down like this…"

He got up, and changed his clothes as quick as he could while Kristine was still asleep.

"All the way," he pushed himself. He stumbled his way out of the tent.

Kristine woke up sometime later. She looked to see that Jason had gotten up again.

"Do I have to corral him inside every morning?" she seemed annoyed.

Kristine quickly got dressed and headed outside.

"Jason! Inside! Now!" she commanded.

"Yeah…" Jason turned around. He looked awfully sick to Kristine.

He coughed profusely, using his right arm as a shield.

"Jason?" Kristine spoke calmly. "Please, let's get you some more soup and meds. Come on."

He clearly looked out of place to her. In fact, she wasn't sure if he was fully aware of his surroundings. Something was really off.

"Right…" Jason stumbled forward. He wasn't even walking straight. His feet weren't set right.

"Oh dear…" Kristine began to approach him.

Jason continued to stumble towards her, one thumb up in the air. "I'm fine!"

Then to Kristine's fears, he suddenly fell flat on the ground.

"Jason!" Kristine gasped. She ran over to her brother's side and got on her knees before turning him over on his back.

"I'm not fine…" Jason finally admitted. "I'm sorry…"

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Kristine tried to remain calm and keep Jason calm. But in her mind, she was freaking out.

Jason coughed some more. Kristine moved Jason's right arm to cover his mouth. When it became apparent he no longer had the strength to move his arm, she tried her very best to remain calm.

"Oh my gosh…" she muttered. She also saw that Jason was trembling all over the place. Whatever sickness he had was beginning to truly overwhelm him. She knew that this had the potential to kill her brother.

Jason also began wheezing. It seemed like he was getting worse by the second.

"We're getting you back inside!" Kristine decided.

Suddenly, Jolteon sent himself out of his pokeball.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon ran over to Jason's side, concerned for his trainer.

"Jolteon?" Kristine looked right at him.

Jolteon faced her. "Jolt! Jolteon!" he barked.

Ralts then projected herself out of her pokeball.

"Ralts!" she walked over to Jason's side.

Swellow and Riolu did the same thing.

"Rio!" Riolu howled before running over to Kristine. He knocked at Machop's Pokeball.

Machop then came calling, sending himself out. "Machop!"

Riolu and Machop were careful to lift Jason up, balancing his body as they carried him inside the tent.

Even Magikarp let himself out of his pokeball, projecting right from Jason's belt.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp flopped.

"Magikarp!" Kristine ran over to Magikarp and picked him up.

The rest of her pokemon projected themselves out of their poke balls. Espeon, Pikachu, Fletchinder, and Snorunt stood by her.

She then proceeded back inside the tent. She saw Riolu and Machop scrounging through her and Jason's backpacks, frantically searching for something that could help Jason.

"Jolt!" Jolteon walked inside the tent, alongside Ralts.

Kristine saw that her and Jason's pokemon were taking control of the situation. She had to step up and be a leader, for Jason's sake. First, she had to control her thoughts. She feared losing her brother, but she knew she had to make sure that doesn't happen.

Kristine walked over to her backpack and kneeled down next to Machop, gently placing Magikarp aside.

"First thing we need is a potion," she said. She reached in to grab a pink canister with a white label and attached an injection cap.

Kristine grabbed Jason's wrist. "It's gonna hurt a bit," she said, before injecting the potion into Jason's veins.

Jason didn't even flinch or make a sound from the entry. He was that weak.

"I need some room," Kristine looked at Jolteon, Ralts, Machop, Riolu, and Magikarp. "Machop, bring Magikarp out. Everyone else, stay outside."

"Machop!" Machop complied, and lifted up Magikarp. Machop stumbled his way outside, not because of Magikarp's weight, but because Magikarp was almost as tall as he is.

Jolteon, Ralts, and Riolu, however, failed to comply. Even Swellow walked inside.

"Guys, please…" Kristine pleaded, but Jason's pokemon insisted they stay.

"Okay then," Kristine turned to her brother, and felt his forehead.

"Still burning hot," she muttered. She pulled out some medicine and a water canteen.

"Take it nice and slow," Kristine put the pills in his mouth and leaned the canteen towards him.

Jason made no effort to grab the canteen, making it harder for Kristine to place it by his mouth. She then tilted it over.

"There we go," she calmly spoke. "You're going to be fine."

Kristine then zipped up Jason's sleeping bag. "We need to get to the pokemon lodge!" she addressed Jason's pokemon. "We need to pack up and move out as soon as possible!"

She walked outside the tent, passing by Jolteon, Riolu, and Ralts, before seeing Machop struggling to hold onto Magikarp.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp flailed back and forth in an attempt to break free.

"Machop!" Machop tried to hold onto him.

"Give Magikarp to me, Machop," Kristine said, walking over to Machop.

"Machop," Machop had no problem handing Magikarp over.

"Magikarp, it's going to be okay," Kristine tried soothing him. "We're working to move to the pokemon lodge, okay?"

"Karp," Magikarp calmed down.

"Okay, first thing's first," Kristine addressed. "Fletchinder, fly towards the direction of Outpost Delta, and seek any help that you may find!"

She then turned to the tent. "Swellow!"

Swellow came out, and approached Kristine. "Swellow?"

"I need you to fly to the pokemon lodge, and get help!" Kristine issued.

"Swellow!" Swellow complied.

"Stay at the Lodge until they ask you otherwise," Kristine continued. "As for you, Fletchinder, fly to the lodge once you seek help, unless you are asked otherwise."

"Fletch!" Fletch nodded.

"Go!" Kristine commanded.

Swellow and Fletchinder took off in opposite directions.

"Machop, head in there and help Riolu carry Jason out!" Kristine turned to Machop.

"Machop!" Machop ran back inside. A moment later, he walked out with Riolu, carrying Jason in his sleeping bag.

Jolteon and Ralts walked out of the tent. Kristine quickly packed up her and Jason's belongings. Ralts carried Jason's backpack around her back as it nearly touched the ground.

"Let's keep moving!" Kristine commanded. She and all their Pokemon proceeded back on the path.

"Oh no…" Kristine looked overhead, and saw that a storm was approaching. "Can this get any worse?"

The group stopped on the path for a moment.

"We have to keep going," Kristine declared, determined to get her brother to safety. "We have to find shelter!"

The group moved onwards in the direction of the coming storm. Kristine felt the winds pick up and the cold temperatures drop even lower.

"It's not just a storm," she realized. "It's a blizzard."

The formation moved quickly. The sky suddenly became gray. Then, snowfall began, dotting lightly all over the place.

"We need to move, or we'll be in big trouble!" Kristine alerted.

Jolteon and Espeon sniffed the ground, looking for any signs of nearby shelter.

"Jolt!" Jolteon pointed his nose to the left, off the path.

"Did you find something, Jolteon?" Kristine asked.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon ran in that direction.

"Let's follow him!" Kristine said. The group walked out of the path, and traversed through a field of jagged cliffs.

They passed by a yellow flag, followed by an orange flag. The snow picked up, and when Kristine passed the red flag, she knew she would have trouble getting back onto the road. But she needed to find shelter for the meantime. She needed to keep her brother alive.

The winds were howling. Kristine began to wonder where Jolteon ran off to; he was no longer in her sight. Just as she began to worry, she could barely make out a small cabin ahead.

"Thank goodness!" she breathed a sigh of relief. She and the pokemon quickly proceeded to the cabin, where Jolteon sat next to the door.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

Kristine pushed the door open with one arm, and walked inside. It was a small cabin, with the cabinets, table, and chairs coated in dust. It appeared that it had not been used in a while.

She wiped the dust away on the table with her right hand. "Put him here!" she told Machop and Riolu.

Both pokemon placed Jason on the table. He was unresponsive.

"Please, Jason!" Kristine grabbed his left wrist, feeling for a pulse. It felt faint to her.

"Here, Machop," Kristine handed Magikarp to him. She took out her backpack and reached for another potion, injecting it into Jason's wrist.

"Please!" Kristine began to tear up. "I need you. Please don't die on me."

Jason remained unresponsive. He made no effort in even nudging. He was too weak to do anything.

Ralts proceeded forward, stepped up on one of the chairs, and placed her hands on Jason's chest.

"Ralts!" Ralts began using Heal Pulse.

Kristine could look on to see tears rolling down Ralts' face. All Pokemon locked their eyes on Jason. Whatever Jason was facing, Kristine had the feeling this was the moment. This was the moment Jason would live or die, and the pokemon sensed it.

"Ralts!" Ralts used Heal Pulse once more.

Kristine pulled out another potion, and prepared it with an injection cap. She feared this was it. This was the moment her brother would pass on. But she wanted to do everything she can to fight it, because she knew Jason would do the same for her. She didn't want to fail him. She wasn't going to; no matter how many potions it would take.

Suddenly, Ralts began to glow.

"Ralts?" Kristine stepped back.

Jason could hear a voice in his mind. It sounded like the voice of a small girl.

 _Please don't leave us, Jason!_ The voice pleaded. _Please don't leave us! We need you._

 _It's too much,_ Jason replied. _But I can't stop. I won't stop._

Ralts, enveloped by a bright white glow, transformed into something more elegant and open. She was slightly taller and more nimble, her hair only covering one of her eyes. She jumped down from the chair, and placed her hands on Jason once more.

"Kirlia!" the newly evolved pokemon cried, and let out a massive purple pulse that briefly covered Jason's body.

"Kirlia…you evolved…" Kristine began to take the injection cap off the potion. She gazed at Kirlia. The beautiful Pokemon had a white body that extended out, resembling a tutu with three tufts on each hip. It covered her green legs, and she had two round horns on her head that curved, resembling hairpins for her ponytails at each side.

 _No, you won't die,_ a more mature voice spoke to Jason. It sounded like a teenage girl to him. _No one in here will let you._

Jolteon then used his front paws to power his head over the table, looking right at Jason.

"Okay…" Kristine spoke softly. She pulled a chair over and sat down next to Jason.

She looked over at Kirlia, who seemed intent on making sure Jason would stay alive. Just moments ago, she was shy, but more introverted and creative than anything. She was one to stand back and only be called upon when asked to. Now, Kirlia seemed to be more assertive. It showed how much she cared for Jason.

"Everything's going to be okay," Kristine whispered, and gently grabbed Jason's hand. She rested her head on the table beside Jason. She heard the howling winds outside as snow and ice slammed against the cabin, but she felt something of much more significance: Jason's pulse.

It was then Kristine could close her eyes in comfort. The brunt of the real storm had passed. Now all they have to do is wait out the blizzard outside.

* * *

"That snowstorm came in pretty fast!" Nurse Joy observed, watching the snow and winds outside from the comfort of her counter at the central Pokemon Lodge.

The main lobby was packed with dozens of trainers and other individuals. Once the storm rolled in, everyone in the immediate area flocked here for shelter.

"Reports indicate it was part of the system that originated far north," a male Ranger next to her replied. "It gathered more strength and speed than we originally forecasted. It's a natural occurrence, not one created or altered by pokemon."

"Surely there's some trainers trapped out there," Nurse Joy looked on.

The ranger agreed. "We're working with the Outposts to determine how many trainers are out there. We believe there could be as many as twenty enduring the storm as we speak."

"That's twenty too many," Nurse Joy replied. "I hope they can manage to find shelter and be okay."

Suddenly, the glass doors opened, inviting in the howling wind. Swellow swooped right in, flying just over the heads of several startled trainers, and stopped just short of Nurse Joy.

"Swellow! Swellow!" Swellow seemed to be in distress.

"What's going on?" Nurse Joy asked, observing Swellow. "Oh my, you're exhausted and shaking. You must be freezing, flying out there!"

"Swellow! Swellow!" Swellow frantically chirped. "Swellow!"

"Must be someone's swellow that was sent for help," the ranger replied. "Let me patch in with the Outposts, and see if they can shed light on this."

Just then, the ranger heard a call from the radio behind him.

"This is Ranger Outpost Delta to Central Pokemon Lodge. Do you copy?" the ranger from Outpost Delta called in. "Ranger Outpost Delta to Central Pokemon Lodge, do you copy? Over!"

The Ranger walked over and reached for the phone next to the radio. "This is Central Pokemon Lodge," the Ranger replied. "I read you loud and clear! Over!"

"We have a situation," Delta Outpost explained. "A trainer's Fletchinder came flying in just moments ago. It appeared to be in distress. I know of a trainer who may have had one who passed by here a few days ago and was heading your direction. I was wondering if you have any information that could explain some things."

"I was going to ask the same thing," the ranger replied. "We just had a swellow come in. Any idea if you know they belong to the same trainer?"

"Same trainer? No." Delta Outpost replied. "But two trainers? Yes. I believed I've seen two trainers traveling together with those pokemon, heading towards Central Pokemon Lodge."

"Must be an emergency situation," the Ranger concluded. "Thank you, Delta. We'll take it from here. Over and out."

"I'm going to take this Swellow in for treatment!" Nurse Joy said.

"Alright," the ranger acknowledged. He then pulled out his handheld radio from his pocket and pressed a button, holding it before his mouth.

"This is Ranger Diego to all personnel on hand," he addressed. "We have an emergency situation, repeat, emergency situation that requires a possible high priority rescue. Meet me in the briefing room in five, fully ready to go. This is not a drill."

Moments later, the Rangers throughout the Pokemon Center grabbed their gear in their quarters, putting on protective gear and arming themselves with pokeballs and other rescue equipment. After their briefing, they took to the back of the pokemon lodge, where they stored a large half-track vehicle inside a garage. It appeared to be an old model that was refurbished and modified throughout the years to serve the rangers' purpose.

The half-track accelerated out of the garage, carrying six rangers inside. They headed down the road leading west from the Pokemon lodge. With not much information to go on, they still set out, knowing only that there were two trainers heading their direction that were in need of assistance.


	20. All the Way

"What an unbelievable comeback!" Jason heard a voice in his dreams, which sounded like a PA announcer at a pokemon stadium. He saw a vision of a stadium, full of thousands of screaming and cheering fans.

"Well, Jason," he heard his sister's voice. "This is it."

He tried to make sense of the visions and voices presented before him. But all of them were very vague.

"This has to be one of the best plays I have ever seen in any Inventum Tournament!" he heard the voice of a broadcaster.

 _What does all of this mean?_ He pondered.

"You've never let me down," he heard his own voice. "Ever!"

"You fight with nobility," said the voice of a woman.

"You fight with determination!" said the voice of a man.

"Who are you?" asked the voice of an older man. "You have not told me who you really are."

In reality, Jason remained still on the table, drifting away in vague visions induced by Kirlia, who stood before him. Kristine still rested her head beside him, while the rest of the pokemon were resting as well. Magikarp was on his side, and was sound asleep next to Machop.

"Jolteon and I go way back," Jason heard his own voice again.

"We're in this together!" he heard Kristine's voice.

"Never be afraid to fail," he heard his mother's voice.

"You're scared of the unknown, are you not?" he heard a female voice. "You fear uncertainty and hold a prejudice to it. You will lose if you give into your fears. Embrace it!"

His visions turned pitch black.

"You don't stand a chance!" he heard Alex's voice.

"I have to say, the toughest trainer I've ever faced was with me the entire time." he heard Kristine's voice one more time.

"Never give in!" he heard his own voice. "Never!"

* * *

Jason suddenly opened his eyes. As he did, Kirlia backed away. He began coughing, which woke Kristine up.

"Jason?" she lifted her head.

Jason coughed some more. Kristine grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently.

"You're going to be okay," she said.

She looked out the window nearby and noticed the snowstorm had died down. Or so, she initially thought. She peered through the window and noticed it was still raging from a distance.

Curious, she got up and approached the window. She looked up to see that they were under an 'eye'; a cloudless dusk gazed upon her, surrounded by a vortex of gray and black clouds.

"That's strange," Kristine observed. "It's not like it's a hurricane."

After spending a moment contemplating whether or not to go outside, she chose to do so. Espeon walked by her side as she headed out.

Kristine looked ahead and to her right. The weather was perfect, yet the storm raged on everywhere around her.

"What's going on?" she muttered.

"Espeon…" Espeon growled.

Kristine looked to her left. What she saw was an articuno staring down on her from a cliff roughly twelve feet high. Its presence startled her.

Articuno graced Kristine with its presence. The blue bird stood there with its long, elegant tail feathers and massive wings, as if it was standing guard over Kristine and all who were inside the cabin.

"Oh my…" Kristine took three steps back. "You're so…beautiful."

"Cuno!" the legendary Pokemon greeted.

"An articuno…" Kristine was awestruck by its beauty.

Articuno titled its head to Espeon. "Ar! Articuno! Articuno!"

"Espeon!" Espeon nodded and ran back inside.

"What's going on?" Kristine seemed confused.

A moment later, Machop and Riolu walked out while carrying Jason, who is still in his sleeping bag. Jolteon, Espeon, Pikachu, Snorunt, and Kirlia, who was holding Magikarp, all walked out.

Everyone looked at Articuno.

"We're moving out?" Kristine asked. "We should wait out the storm!"

"Cuno!" Articuno began to take off. As it flapped its wings, Kristine could really feel the wind generated by its force. Articuno then soared into the air, flying directly where Kristine came from.

Kristine noticed that the storm evaporated over Articuno. The legendary bird was directly controlling the weather, or at least altering it for the group's protection.

"Wow…" Kristine was taken back. But she knew she had to follow Articuno.

"Okay everyone, let's go!" she issued.

Kristine and all the pokemon proceeded to follow where Articuno was slowly flying at. The air was chilly, but not freezing. Kristine quickly understood why legendary pokemon are illegal to capture, from a first hand perspective. The power Articuno possessed was beyond the level of responsibility anyone should have, she thought.

Moments later, the group came across the red flag from before.

"Articuno's leading us back on the road?" Kristine said. "I guess it's going to guide us through the entire storm."

The group passed the orange flag, followed by the yellow flag. A moment later, they were guided back onto the path.

Kristine walked over to Jason's side. "You won't believe what's going on right now."

The group proceeded down the road under Articuno's protection. Kristine was still fascinated by the 'eye' that Articuno was magically generating, and how it was warding off the snowstorm entirely.

Ten minutes later, Kristine saw headlights from a distance.

"Is that…a vehicle?" she spoke. "In here? That must mean help has arrived!"

The vehicle approached and slowed down before coming to a halt. By then, Articuno flew around in a holding pattern.

A team of four rangers got out of the back of the halftrack, as Ranger Diego got out of the passenger's seat, looking straight up at Articuno.

"My, what a beauty," Ranger Diego observed.

The four other rangers rushed towards Jason.

"Please help him," Kristine pleaded.

"We'll do everything we can," one of the female rangers assured her.

Two other rangers pulled out a stretcher as Riolu and Machop gently placed Jason on it.

"Recall the Pokemon," a male ranger advised. "We can take it from here."

"Right," Kristine gave a nod. "Return, everyone. Great job."

Kristine recalled all of her Pokemon one by one. She then got the pokeballs from Jason's belt and did the same to his.

The two rangers with the stretcher began to carry Jason back to the halftrack. Kristine followed them as the two other Rangers proceeded behind her. The Rangers placed Jason down inside the center, while Kristine sat to Jason's left, by his side. The Rangers took their seats, while Diego entered the passenger's seat.

"Looks like Articuno is taking off," Diego said. "Back into the snowstorm we go. Hold on tight!"

The halftrack began rocking back and forth. Kristine held onto Jason's stretcher with both hands.

One of the Rangers began hooking Jason up with IV fluids.

"Looks like the flu to me," she observed. "And a very bad one, too."

Another Ranger looked at the potion insertions on Jason's wrist, which resembled round, red circles with four dots resembling a plus sign together in the middle.

"Two potion insertions," the male Ranger noted.

"Gotcha," the female ranger nodded. She turned to Kristine. "Dear, did you give him any medication other than the potions?"

"Yeah," Kristine replied. "Some cough medicine and sleep aid, as well as some painkillers. Along with his Kirlia's Heal Pulse."

"All of that was enough to keep him alive," the Ranger acknowledged. "You saved him. We'll get him back on his two feet."

Kristine broke out into tears of relief at that moment. She grabbed Jason's hand and squeezed it gently.

"You're going to be okay," she spoke before sniffling.

"Are you his sister?" Ranger Diego turned his head back to face Kristine.

"Yeah," Kristine nodded. "I'm Kristine, and he's Jason. We're twins."

"Name's Diego," Diego introduced himself. "I'm the head of the Ranger Battalion in the Nappalchan Mountains. I make my headquarters right from the Central Pokemon Lodge."

"Thank you so much for rescuing us," Kristine wiped away her tears.

"Just doing our job, kid," Diego replied. "Just want to let you know that your swellow flew right into the pokemon lodge to alert us. She's being treated by Nurse Joy as we speak."

"That's good to hear," Kristine smiled. "She's my brother's Pokemon. Have you heard any word from Outpost Delta about a fletchinder flying in by chance?"

"Sure have!" Diego confirmed. "I can say that Fletchinder made it safely there, too."

"Good," Kristine acknowledged. "I think he's going to stay there until the storm passes before flying here."

"I'm sure they'll take good care of him in the meantime."

A moment passed, and Kristine turned to her brother once more.

"Hey," Diego maintained her attention.

"Yes?" Kristine turned back to him.

"I know I wasn't there, but for you to go through the effort to save your brother's life, you did a mighty brave thing."

"That was the only option," Kristine replied. "There was no way I was going to let him die like that. Our pokemon felt the same way."

"And how did you meet that articuno?"

"Articuno met us," Kristine shrugged. "It was as if it sensed us in distress. Then it offered to guide us back on the road."

"Wait," one of the female Rangers turned to Kristine. "You didn't happen to be in the abandoned ranger shack, did you?"

"I think I was."

"That shack was abandoned years ago because of an articuno nest springing up nearby," Diego explained. "You came into close proximity with that nest, which got an articuno pretty curious about your entry, no doubt."

"It was amazing to see that," Kristine replied. "I just wish my brother was alert enough to see it too."

* * *

Dusk fell as the snowstorm eventually began to evaporate. The halftrack raced its way down the path towards the pokemon lodge.

"Take her easy down here," Diego said to the driver. "This thing's old and doesn't have the best turn radius in the world."

"So Kristine," Diego turned to face her once more. "This old halftrack here is more than seventy years old. A gift from Meeks himself over in Richland Port."

"Seventy years old?" Kristine wondered how the vehicle could still operate.

"Yep," Diego chuckled. "See, she's an old military vehicle from the War. Meeks says she rode all over Kalos but I don't know about that. Meeks is the Gym Leader of Richland Port, an honorably member of Team Power, and a retired military officer."

"Meeks, I think I've heard of him," Kristine could recall from seeing him on TV during her childhood.

"Guy's a hero in Inventum," Diego continued. "He looks really good for being over 90. He fought in the War, and afterwards, he worked to make sure pokemon were not directly involved in combat operations since then."

"Take pokemon out of war, you take out war itself," Kristine recited one of Meeks' quotes.

Diego nodded. "Precisely. Anyways, this old clunker was just an antique ready to go to the junkyard. When we requisitioned for a disaster-ready vehicle, Meeks pulled some favors, and granted us this beauty. We had to give her a makeover, of course."

"That's really cool," Kristine was intrigued by the story.

"Guy's very informal and tough, but he's a good man," Diego continued.

The halftrack navigated through the passes in the evening. Kristine fell asleep, and two hours later, the halftrack entered a smooth road heading straight to the Lodge.

One of the rangers nudged Kristine. "We're almost there, dear."

"Okay," Kristine slowly opened her eyes.

The driver took the halftrack to the front of the lodge.

"Okay, everyone!" Diego said. "Get Jason inside, pronto!"

One of the rangers opened the rear doors. Kristine was the first one out, looking at the cloudless night sky above.

"The storm cleared," she said. There was snow all over the place, however, as she found herself ankle-deep in it.

Two rangers began carrying the stretcher holding Jason right through the sliding doors of the pokemon lodge.

"We rescued a couple trainers!" one of them said to Nurse Joy's assistant, who took the night shift. "This one came down with the flu. He's stabilized, but he needs to stay that way."

"Yeah, sure thing!" the man with short blond hair replied. "I'll get Nurse Joy up immediately!"

Kristine walked alongside the rangers as they carried her brother to a nearby patient room.

"Hey, Kristine," Diego spoke to her.

"Yes?" Kristine turned around.

"You should get some rest," Diego suggested. "Your brother's going to be fine."

"Right," Kristine replied. She looked weary to Diego.

"Let me book you a room," Diego walked over to the counter and activated a terminal. A moment later, he confirmed the changes. "Room 207, on the second floor. Just a one bed studio."

"Got it," Kristine nodded. "Thank you for everything, Diego."

"Sure thing," Diego nodded.

Kristine headed up the stairs and found her room a moment later. She walked inside.

"Oh, thank goodness," she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Then came a moment of realization; she needed to call her mother.

Kristine walked over to the terminal and sat down before trying to communicate with her mother. She knew it was very late at night, and it would take some time before her mother would answer.

The call went through, and it ringed on the other end for a solid minute. Finally, Veronica answered.

"Kristine?" Veronica asked, in her yellow nightgown. "Hun, it's so late at night, is everything okay?"

"It is now…" Kristine replied. "But I just had the longest day in my life. Jason came down with the flu this morning. We were caught in a snowstorm and we sought shelter."

Kristine's eyes teared up once more.

"Honey," Veronica tried to comfort her. "Where are you calling from?"

"From the Central Pokemon Lodge," Kristine replied. "We're still in the Nappalchan Mountains."

"At least you made it to the pokemon lodge, didn't you?" Veronica continued to soothe her daughter. "And Jason? He's resting now, isn't he? He's in good hands."

"We were rescued," Kristine continued. "But Mom, I was so scared. I thought Jason was going to die. Our pokemon sensed it. I knew something was going to happen and -"

"But he's not going to die," Veronica sternly spoke. "It sounds to me you made sure he didn't, and now he's going to be okay. I knew the two of you would be safer just by traveling together."

"Right," Kristine tried to calm down. "I just…"

"What's that?"

"I just…don't think I can go through with this."

"With what?"

"Being a trainer," Kristine sighed.

"Is it because of Jason?"

"I saw him," Kristine looked at her mother in the eyes. "I saw how weak he looked. I saw him slipping away despite all that I did, all that our pokemon did. I can't go through that again. I don't think I can do this anymore, Mom."

"Hun," Veronica smiled. "What you do is entirely up to you. What happened today is an unfortunate tragedy. Not everyone comes down with a bad flu like that."

"He keeps pushing himself beyond his limits!" Kristine spoke in frustration. "He always pushes himself to that extra mile!"

"He's much like your father," Veronica said. "Hence why I called him Stubborn Jim from time to time."

Kristine sighed. "I don't know what to do, Mom."

"Be Jason's enforcer," Veronica advised. "If he needs someone to keep him in line, then keep him in line. You have a good head on your shoulders, Kristine. If his will inspires you, then use your wit to inspire him back."

"Yeah…" Kristine listened to her mother. "I just…I don't know anymore. It's not like I can leave him here, too."

"Sleep on it, Kristine," Veronica said. "Remember, this is about your Pokemon as well. Have Jason call me tomorrow."

"Will do, Mom," Kristine gave an uncertain smile.

"I love you," Veronica waved goodbye.

"Love you too," Kristine did the same.

Veronica then turned off the communications.

Kristine walked over to her bed and fell down on it.

"I don't know anymore…" she sighed. She fell asleep without changing or even tucking herself in.

—

Kristine woke up sometime later, when the sun shined through her window.

"Oh wow…" she muttered, realizing that she slept with all of her gear on. "I should probably change out to a new set…"

Kristine went to the bathroom and hopped in the shower first. Afterwards, she put on a fresh set of clothes before trying her hair into a ponytail. Her stance on continuing her adventure as a trainer ultimately remained unchanged.

Kristine kept going back and forth on the issue. Part of her wanted to leave because she couldn't go through the stress of even the possibility of losing Jason. But part of her knew that she couldn't leave Jason alone. She wanted to see what Jason was thinking first.

She walked downstairs to the lobby and proceeded towards Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy?" Kristine approached her.

"Oh hey!" Nurse Joy greeted. "You're Kristine, aren't you? Diego told me about you."

"I am," Kristine nodded.

"I'm happy to say Jason is alert and doing okay right now," Nurse Joy continued. "He still requires bedrest, but he's on the road to recovery."

"That's good to hear," Kristine smiled.

"Would you like to see him?"

"Sure!"

Kristine followed Nurse Joy to one of the patient rooms, where Jason was being held.

"Here you are," Nurse Joy opened the door for her.

"Thanks so much!" Kristine acknowledged. She then walked inside to see her brother in bed, with his neck leaned upwards with the mattress.

"Hey sis," Jason spoke, happy to see Kristine.

"Hey there!" Kristine waved. "You really scared all of us yesterday."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Jason replied. "But is it true that an articuno flew right over us?"

"It is," Kristine nodded. "It was beautiful."

"That's awesome," Jason contemplated the odds.

"Ralts evolved too," Kristine walked over to a nearby table where Jason's pokeballs were being kept.

"Ralts evolved?" Jason was intrigued.

Kristine picked up Kirlia's pokeball, and released her.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia took a bow before Jason.

"That would explain the visions I was having," he said. "Hi there, Kirlia!"

"Kirlia!" Kirlia smiled.

"You were having visions?" Kristine asked.

"Well, very vague visions at best," Jason elaborated. "They didn't make much sense to me."

"Return, Kirlia," Kristine recalled her. She then approached Jason's side.

She sighed. "I really thought I would lose you, you know."

"But you didn't," Jason sternly spoke. "Kristine, you saved me. Our Pokemon saved my life. I owe my life to all of you."

"You don't owe us anything," Kristine smiled, and placed her hands on his left hand. "But I can't ever lose you. I don't think I can do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" Jason raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think I can be a trainer," she explained.

Jason shook his head in disbelief. "You always wanted to be a trainer."

"To see you almost die in front of me changed everything!" Kristine argued.

Jason sighed. "Please don't leave me."

"I won't ever leave you," Kristine assured him.

"Then let's continue," Jason suggested.

"Just don't push yourself, okay?" Kristine pleaded. "We need to take it easy once in a while. Having fun is a part of being a trainer. If you take the fun out of it, what's the point?"

"You mean you weren't having fun?" Jason asked.

Kristine paused for a moment. She knew the truth would hurt Jason. "For the two or three days up until you came down with the flu, no."

"Then I wondered how your Pokemon felt about it too, how my pokemon felt about it…" Jason turned his head away.

"I'm sorry, Kristine," Jason held back his own tears.

"Hey," Kristine wrapped her arms around her brother, trying to comfort him. "I love you for the strong-willed stubborn knucklehead that you are. It's okay to be vulnerable from time to time. It's okay to say 'you know what, let's take a vacation day because I can' once in a while."

Jason smiled at the comment. "Okay, sis. And how do you feel about continuing?"

"Give me some time to think," Kristine said. "I need to clear my head, and consult with my pokemon."

Jason turned his head around. "Okay."

Kristine squeezed tightly on Jason. "Just don't get the flu again."

"I'll try not to," Jason endured Kristine's warm embrace.

Kristine smiled, and let go. "I'll talk to you in a bit," she proceeded out the door.

She walked out into the lobby with a smile. To her surprise, Alex was standing there, as if he was anticipating her.

"I heard about what happened," Alex spoke. "My condolences, Kristine. Is he okay?"

Kristine was shocked to hear that Alex was actually concerned for Jason's well-being.

"Why do you care?" Kristine crossed her arms.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Because no one deserves to lose a sibling like that."

Kristine loosened her stance. "He's going to be fine."

"Good," Alex gave a nod, and proceeded to walk away.

"Alex?" Kristine approached.

Alex simply turned around.

"Why did you ask?" she became curious.

Alex contemplated for a moment, and approached Kristine.

"You wanna know why I don't like Jason?" Alex asked.

"It would shed some light on things, considering he did nothing to you," Kristine replied.

"I had an older brother. His name was Tyler. He was the upfront, hardworking yet blunt individual who became a trainer. He believed every challenge was his to overcome, and he was afraid of nothing. His approach to life made him a fool, and it got him killed, right here in the Nappalchan Mountains."

"I'm…I'm so sorry," Kristine wasn't sure how to respond.

"It's fine," Alex sighed. "I see Jason and I see a lot of my brother in him. He's just another fool who will get himself killed. If this would teach him any lesson at all, please tell him to stand down from being a trainer and do something he's actually good at, for your sake."

Alex then walked away from Kristine once more.

Kristine stood there. She knew why Alex was as soulless as he was; he lost his own brother in the Nappalchan Mountains. She wondered what it was like to traverse through the very area a loved one was killed in.

Then she realized how insulting Alex was to her own brother, how he degraded Jason as a trainer. She knew Jason had the ability to beat this punk. He and his pokemon would cherish that day.

"Jason's an excellent trainer," she muttered to herself. "He loves his pokemon. And you know what? So do I. I'm an excellent trainer myself. What matters is we got through this, and we're able to continue forward because of that!"

No one was around to hear her triumphant speech. Kristine came to a conclusion, and she had Alex to thank for helping spark that conclusion. She wanted this adventure just as much as Jason. She wasn't going to let Jason's flu get to her. She wasn't going to quit on her dreams of becoming the best of the best because of what might happen. She knew the dangers and risks involved of being a trainer, and she knew it would all be worthwhile if they kept going forward, as opposed to heading home in fear of what just might happen.

She would do her brother a dishonor, her pokemon a dishonor, and herself a dishonor, most of all, if she backed down now.

"No," she spoke with fierce determination in her eyes. "I cannot quit. I will not quit."

She stormed back into Jason's room.

"All the way!" she declared. "All the way, Jason!"

Jason faced his sister with a huge grin on his face. "All the way!"


	21. Strong Friends, Stronger Rivals

It was a new day at the pokemon lodge. Kristine put on her gear and walked towards the lobby of the lodge. She was previously told that Jason was progressing steadily back to full health, but he still needed at least one more day under care, and one additional day of bedrest.

The two had talked with their mother together yesterday. Kristine realized how relieved their mother was to see Jason, considering what he had been through recently. Kristine was just glad all of that was over with, that her brother is safe and recovering.

With most of their supplies being left behind, Kristine was able to requisition fresh food and camping supplies from the lodge, which had plenty of both. Nurse Joy cleared Swellow from her overnight stay for precautionary reasons, and Kristine was able to recall her back into Jason's pokeball. She also received word that Fletchinder was doing well and was flying en route to the lodge.

She walked outside, over to a flat area just off the path to begin her morning training. The weather was nice, and the snow began to melt away. Kristine took a deep breath and embraced the cool, crisp, and fresh air that she loved.

"Okay guys and gals," Kristine began to pull out her pokeballs. "It's show time!"

"Hi Kristine!" Kristine suddenly heard Amanda's voice behind her.

Kristine halted what she was doing and turned around to see Amanda.

"Hi Amanda!" she happily greeted.

Amanda was wearing a blue jacket and a pink scarf for the cold weather.

"So, I did get the Tranquility Badge," Amanda said with a smile on her face.

"Well, congrats!" Kristine smiled back.

"How are things going?" Amanda asked.

"Good," Kristine said before sighing. "Well, better."

"Nothing like trekking through the Mountains, huh?"

"My brother came down with the flu the other day," Kristine lightly spoke.

"Oh no!" Amanda gasped. "Is he okay?"

Kristine gave a light smile. "He will be."

"That's good at least," Amanda acknowledged. "How are you holding up?"

"I think I'm okay. I'm just trying to get some training in as he recovers. Nurse Joy says she'll be able to release him tomorrow."

"That's good," Amanda gave a smile. "Would you like to have a pokemon battle for training?"

"Sure," Kristine said. "Like a three on three?"

Amanda nodded.

"Okay," Kristine took some steps back. "I have two Pokemon who have yet to battle."

"I have one more to my team as well," Amanda took some steps back as well, pulling out one of her pokeballs. "Shall we begin?"

Kristine gave a smirk, and pulled out her pokeball. "Machop, showtime!"

"Machop!" Machop came out with a determined look. It was the first time he fought someone other than Riolu, as well as Jason and Kristine's pokemon.

"Come on out, Nidorina!" Amanda threw out her pokeball.

"Nido!" the light blue quadruped greeted. She possessed red eyes, large rounded ears, and large poison spikes on its back. Her sharp claws and teeth made her intimidating to opponents, unless if that opponent was Machop.

"Nidorina, huh?" Kristine used her pokedex to examine the creature.

"Nidorina, the Poison Pin Pokemon, and the evolved form of female nidroran," the Pokedex explained. "Nidorina have a gentle temperament. They emit ultrasonic cries that have the power to befuddle foes."

"Okay, Nidorina! You ready?" Amanda faced her pokemon.

"Nidorina!" Nidorina gave a determined nod.

"Charge at Machop with Bite!" Amanda commanded.

"Nido!" Nidorina ran towards Machop.

"Machop, use Foresight!" Kristine responded.

Machop locked his eyes on Nidorina, reading and anticipating her movements.

Nidorina closed right in on Machop.

"Vital Throw! Now!" Kristine issued.

"Machop!" Machop grabbed a hold of Nidorina before she could connect with Bite.

"Poison Sting, and quick!" Amanda yelled.

Before Machop could throw Nidorina backwards, Nidorina's spikes glowed as they effectively struck Machop.

"Machop!" Machop endured the strike, throwing Nidorina behind him. The velocity and power of the throw was amazing even to Kristine; Nidorina slammed hard against the wall of a nearby cliff.

"Machop…" Machop had poison marks on his chest.

"Machop, you've been poisoned!" Kristine became concerned.

"Machop!" Machop pounded his chest.

Kristine smirked. "That's right. Machop's special ability is Guts. His attacks hit harder when he has a status effect."

Kristine faced Machop. "Close in on Nidorina with Karate Chop!"

"Machop!" Machop charged at Nidorina.

"Nidorina, Double Kick!" Amanda commanded.

Nidorina was able to get up and shake herself off. She then faced her back towards Machop and kicked her legs in an effort to strike him.

"Dodge, Machop!" Kristine yelled.

Machop jumped back from Nidorina's double kick, and ducked from another attack.

"Turn around and Fury Swipes!" Amanda issued.

Nidorina turned around and got into close quarters with Machop in an attempted to slash him with her razor sharp claws.

"Low Sweep, Machop, let's go!" Kristine responded.

Machop ducked once more and used his left foot to sweep underneath Nidorina, knocking her down.

"Nidorina!" Amanda yelled.

"Karate Chop!" Kristine followed up.

Machop struck Nidorina's side with Karate Chop, sending her tumbling back.

"Double Kick again!" Amanda issued.

Nidorina struggled to get back up, and began kicking her back legs towards Machop once more.

"Let's use Vital Throw!" Kristine called.

Machop grabbed one of Nidorina's rear legs and threw her across the field. Nidorina came crashing down, clearly unable to get back up.

"Oh no!" Amanda pulled out her pokeball, and recalled Nidorina. "Return, girl. You did good out there!"

"Machop!" Machop pounded his chest, but the poison was doing a significant amount of damage to him. He fell down on one knee as a purple mist covered him.

"Return, Machop!" Kristine recalled her pokemon. "Let's get some rest."

"I guess it's a good idea to recall Machop," Amanda said.

Kristine simply nodded, and pulled out her second pokeball.

Amanda did the same. "Okay then, let's go Staravia!"

Amanda threw out her pokeball, bringing out Staravia.

"Staravia!" Staravia greeted.

"Alright," Kristine pulled out her second pokeball. "Snorunt, showtime!"

"Snorunt!" Snorunt jumped out of the pokeball, facing Staravia.

"Snorunt, huh?" Amanda smirked. "You might have the type advantage, but I have a couple tricks up my sleeve."

Amanda faced Staravia. "Work Up!"

"Staravia!" Staravia flapped her wings and took to the skies. She soared over the field, pumping herself up for the battle

"Work Up, huh?" Kristine seemed intrigued.

"We've spent a lot of time training, and she just kinda learned it," Amanda replied.

"I see," Kristine gave a nod. "Okay, Snorunt, use Icy Wind!"

"Snorunt!" Snorunt projected an icy wind directed at Staravia.

"Staravia, Double Team!" Amanda commanded.

Staravia projected multiple copies of herself all around Snorunt. The Icy Wind blew right through several of them.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Amanda followed up.

Staravia emerged from her copies and dove down on Snorunt, striking her side. Snorunt tumbled over and over, but landed upright, ready to go.

"Staravia!" Staravia took to the skies, ready for another attack.

"Now use Wing Attack!" Amanda issued.

"Snorunt, Ice Shard, quick!" Kristine called.

Staravia dove down on Snorunt. Just then, Snorunt shot out a shard of ice, effectively striking Staravia and knocking her out of the sky.

"Close in with Ice Fang!" Kristine followed up.

Snorunt charged at Staravia, projecting large fangs made of ice right before her mouth.

"Quick Attack again!" Amanda responded.

Staravia regained herself and charged at Snorunt, striking her before she could attack with Ice Fang. Snorunt tumbled back several times.

"Now go for a Wing Attack!" Amanda followed up.

Staravia dove down on Snorunt with glowing wings once more.

"Double Team, Snorunt!" Kristine responded.

Snorunt projected multiple images of herself. Staravia flew right through three of those copies.

"Ice Shard, let's go!" Kristine yelled.

"Dodge it!" Amanda responded.

Snorunt shot out another shard of ice, which Staravia narrowly dodge in the sky.

"Now dive down at full speed!" Amanda followed up. "Let's go for Quick Attack one more time!"

"Staravia!" Staravia dove down towards Snorunt at full speed.

"Icy Wind, Snorunt!" Kristine commanded.

Snorunt blew an icy wind at Staravia. Staravia flew right through the wind, taking damage but still following through with her attack. She struck Snorunt, sending her tumbling back once more.

"Now let's finish this with Wing Attack!" Amanda continued her assault.

Staravia flew right at Snorunt with glowing wings. Snorunt was unable to react in time to the powerful attack, and was struck head on. She flew backwards before tumbling over on her back, unable to get up.

"Snorunt!" Kristine yelled in concern.

"Good job, Staravia!" Amanda cheered; though it was clear Staravia was fatigued from the battle.

"Return, Snorunt," Kristine recalled her Pokemon. "No worries. It was your first battle!"

Amanda did the same to hers. "Get some rest, Staravia. You did excellent!"

She then faced Kristine. "My Wartortle against your Espeon! Let's do it!"

"Sounds great!," Kristine gave a smirk, pulling out Espeon's pokeball. "Okay, Espeon, showtime!"

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted with grace as soon as she was summoned.

"Let's do it, Wartortle!" Amanda threw out her pokeball.

"Wartortle!" the dark blue pokemon chanted.

"You ready, Espeon?" Kristine asked her pokemon.

"Espeon!" Espeon nodded.

"Okay," Kristine acknowledged. "Espeon, Calm Mind!"

Espeon's eyes turned white as her special offensive and defensive capabilities boosted.

"Wartortle, use Water Gun!" Amanda commanded.

Wartortle shot a powerful burst of water out of his mouth at Espeon.

"Dodge it!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon jumped out of the way of Wartortle's Water Gun.

"Espeon, let's use that new Psybeam of yours!" Kristine issued.

"Espeon!" Espeon's eyes glowed purple. Then, she released a beam of telekinetic energy at Wartortle. The white and purple beam shot right at him.

"Wartortle! Protect!" Amanda responded.

Wartortle placed his hands before himself, ready to embrace the attack. Espeon's Psybeam impacted a barrier that Wartortle projected. As the attack dissipated before Wartortle, a turquoise shield appeared around him. Wartortle's defensive move successfully stopped Psybeam in its tracks.

Amanda smirked. "That's a powerful move, all right."

She then faced Wartortle. "Espeon's weak to dark type moves. Attack with Bite!"

"Wartortle!" Wartortle closed in on Espeon.

"Swift!" Kristine issued.

Espeon fired a swift of stars at Wartortle.

"Quick, use Rapid Spin!" Amanda responded.

Wartortle retreated into his shell and began spinning as Swift closed in on him. He was deflecting star after star away from him as they exploded upon impact with the ground. He rocketed towards Espeon, and struck her.

Espeon slid back from Wartortle's successful Rapid Spin.

 _She's much better than the last time we met!_ Kristine thought. _But you know what? So am I!_

"Water Gun, Wartortle!" Amanda followed up.

Wartortle jumped back and fired Water Gun at Espeon.

"Counter it with Psybeam!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon fired Psybeam right from her eyes. It splashed against Water Gun head on. Neither move overpowered the other as the pressure built from both attacks. Then, Psybeam created an explosion, turning Water Gun into an aura of mist that covered most of the field.

"Quick Attack, Espeon!" Kristine quickly issued.

Espeon charged at Wartortle.

"Protect!" Amanda called again.

Wartortle prepared to embrace the attack.

"Halt!" Kristine declared.

Espeon stopped right before Wartortle.

"Now Calm Mind!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon sat down before Wartortle as her eyes glowed white.

Amanda chuckled. "Good move, Kristine. Wartortle, Bite!"

Wartortle lunged forward, ready to bite Espeon.

Kristine followed through with her plan to hit Wartortle head on. "Psybeam!"

Right before Wartortle was able to clamp down on Espeon, she was able to project Psybeam, striking Wartortle at just three feet away. The attack sent Wartortle flying into the air.

"Wartortle!" Amanda gasped.

"Now Espeon, Swift!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon fired another swift of stars at Wartortle. He was struck by star after star before he slammed against the ground.

"War…tortle…" Wartortle struggled to get up.

"Psybeam one more time!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon fired another Psybeam at Wortortle.

"Protect!" Amanda responded.

Wartortle once again embraced Espeon's Psybeam, fending it off with a protective shield. Wartortle looked exhausted, having to endure two powerful attacks from Espeon just moments before.

"Wartortle, Water Gun!" Amanda followed up.

Wartortle fired another powerful burst of water at Espeon.

"Use Swift to combat it!" Kristine responded.

Espeon's swift of stars met Water Gun head on, exploding against the water stream on impact.

"Now jump up and use Psybeam!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon jumped high into the air and fired Psybeam at Wartortle.

"Protect!" Amanda yelled.

Wartortle tried to defend from the attack, but he was fatigued. His shield was not strong enough to stop Psybeam. The beam broke through, striking him and sending him tumbling back over and over. He was unable to get up.

"Yes!" Kristine cheered. "Good job, Espeon!"

"Oh no," Amanda looked down in shame. She quickly recollected herself, and put a smile on her face.

"Return, Wartortle," she recalled her Pokemon. "You did great out there."

Kristine also recalled Espeon.

"You're a tough trainer," Kristine commended Amanda.

Amanda snickered. "Well, you still beat me. You're strong. You and Jason both. But one day, I'll beat ya!"

"Did you ladies just have yourselves a Pokemon battle?" Julian suddenly approached Kristine and Amanda.

"Hi Julian!" Amanda greeted. "Fancy seeing you here."

"I've been in the area since last night," Julian gave a nod. "Hey, Kristine."

"Hi," Kristine waved.

"Where's your brother?" Julian asked in curiosity.

"He's recovering from a flu," Kristine responded. "He'll be okay."

"Oh man," Julian said. "I hope it wasn't a severe one."

Kristine gave a slight sigh. "It was. But he's okay now."

Julian smiled. "That's good, at least."

So, did you catch any new pokemon lately?" Amanda asked Julian.

Julian looked to his left and right, and noticed the field was massive. Massive enough to show off his new pokemon.

"I caught this guy a few days ago," Julian said with a smirk on his face. "Let's go, Onix!"

Jason threw his pokeball at a considerable distance, summoning the giant rock snake behemoth that is Onix. He towered over all three trainers and roared.

"Whoa," Amanda took several steps back.

Kristine pulled out her pokedex to examine Onix.

"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokemon," the pokedex explained. "It usually lives underground. It searches for food while boring its way through the ground at 50 miles per hour."

"Jason and I saw one just burrowing its way through the Mountains just the other day," Kristine mentioned.

"This guy popped out in front of me," Julian chuckled. "So he fought Pancham. And now he's a part of my team!"

Julian recalled Onix. "You can return now."

He then turned to Kristine. "Can I go see Jason?"

Kristine smiled. "Sure!"

"I suppose I can, as well," Amanda added.

"Absolutely!" Kristine nodded.

Kristine, Amanda, and Julian proceeded back towards the pokemon lodge. Once inside, Kristine led the others towards Nurse Joy at the center of the lobby.

"Morning, Kristine!" Nurse Joy greeted.

"Hey," Kristine smiled. "Can some friends of ours see Jason?"

"Absolutely!" Nurse Joy smiled. She led the three towards the back into Jason's room.

"Jason is doing really great today," Nurse Joy informed before opening the door. "If you all need anything, let me know."

Kristine was the first one to walk inside.

"Hey bro," Kristine waved.

"Morning, sis," Jason waved back, and leaned up on his bed.

Julian and Amanda then walked inside.

"Hey guys," Jason seemed surprised to see them.

Julian and Amanda both waved.

"We heard what happened," Amanda spoke.

"Yeah, you get well soon," Julian added.

"Nurse Joy says I should be released tomorrow," Jason responded. "But then I'm supposed to take it easy."

"Which means you really need to take it easy," Kristine said with a smile on her face, crossing her arms.

Jason laughed lightly. "I guess I need to, huh?"

"Well, it's not like you're getting out of the Mountains anytime soon," Amanda chimed in.

"Still got four more Outposts and one Pokemon Lodge," Julian said.

"Still a lot of work to do," Jason replied. "I guess the best way to get through it is if we take our time."

"Just enjoy the scenery!" Amanda suggested. "Besides, you need to have fun while being a trainer!"

"I got sick in the first place because I pushed myself way too hard," Jason added. "It won't happen again."

"Good," Kristine walked over and placed her hand on Jason's shoulder. "I think we can all admire your hard work ethic. Just remember that you need to watch out for yourself, too."

"Gotcha," Jason placed his hand over Kristine's.

"Hey," Julian faced Jason. "You catch any new Pokémon since we last met?"

Jason nodded. "I got Riolu."

"Good," Julian replied. "How about your Riolu against my Onix once you get back on your feet?"

Jason smirked. "I'm down for it."

"But Riolu has a type advantage," Kristine noted.

"Type advantages can only mean so much," Julian said. "Besides, fighting at a disadvantage is great when you want to become a better trainer."

Jason put into consideration what Julian just said. He believed Julian was right. Jason knew he excelled the most when he really feels the pressure in a Pokemon battle.

"You should get some more rest," Kristine suggested to Jason. She then took her hand off of Jason's shoulder.

Jason nodded. "I'll be up and about tomorrow!"

"I'll see you around, Jason!" Amanda waved goodbye.

"Yeah, man," Julian gave a nod.

"Thanks for stopping by," Jason smiled.

Julian and Amanda left the room.

"I can't wait to get out of here," Jason said to Kristine. "I don't think my Pokemon can wait, either."

Kristine chuckled. "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you out there and healthy."

She then proceeded towards the exit. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Okay," Jason acknowledged.

Kristine left the room and shut the door. She walked out into the lobby with Julian and Amanda.

I'm going to spend one more day here before I head out," Julian said. "It's nice to get a break in the middle of the Mountains."

"Yeah," Amanda agreed. "I think I'll do the same."

"Well, we'll be spending at least two more nights here," Kristine snickered.

"I'm going to get some training in," Julian spoke. "I'll catch you guys later."

"Hey, mind if I hang out with you?" Amanda asked Julian. "Join you, I mean. Uh, train with you, I mean."

Julian shrugged with a smile. "Uh, yeah, sure."

Kristine saw the subtle advance Amanda made towards Julian.

Amanda looked at Kristine. "You can come with us too, if you want!"

"I think I'll hang back and relax," Kristine smiled. "Thanks, though."

"Ok, well, we'll see you later!" Amanda waved goodbye as she and Julian departed from the pokemon lodge.

* * *

Kristine spent the day at the Lodge, letting all five of her pokemon out the entire time. She knew it was a good time to continue to wind down and relax following the stressful and near-tragic situation just a couple days ago.

She sat on a rocking chair before a fireplace, with Espeon resting at her side. Machop was not too far away practicing fighting techniques, while Fletchinder, Snorunt, and Pikachu explored the lobby together.

"I see you're trying to rest up, as well," Kristine heard Diego as he approached behind her.

"Yeah," Kristine replied without turning her head. "It's not like I can do much, anyways."

Diego stood at Kristine's left, looking towards the fireplace. "How are you doing?"

This caught Kristine off guard. She was concerned about Jason's safety, and still is. She figured too much of Jason had rubbed off on her, and she didn't realize that her mental health would be affected, even after she decided to continue the adventure of a Pokemon trainer.

"I'm fine," Kristine spoke after a brief moment of silence.

Diego turned to her. "I know it's a scary thing, having to go through what you did. I'm glad your brother's going to be okay."

"Yeah…" Kristine sighed. "Jason's the type of boy who wouldn't give up on anything. I figured I couldn't give up on him. I had to save him. I had to protect him, because there was no other option. His Ralts evolved into Kirlia while trying to save him. All of our pokemon weren't intending on giving up, either."

"He's very fortunate to have you as his sister," Diego added.

"And I'm fortunate to have him as my brother," Kristine replied. "He frustrates me sometimes. Yet if you really get to know him, he's loyal and caring. He's a real leader," she then faced Diego. "He's my twin, yet sometimes I feel as if he's my older brother. He knows about pokemon behaviors and abilities better than I do."

"Surely there's something you're better at than him," Diego replied.

"Well," Kristine gave a slight laugh. "I am the social one. I also know my geography a lot better than he does."

Diego chuckled. "It sounds to me you both have strengths that compliment each other in your travels. It's okay to admire your brother. I don't know you both very well, but I believe that admiration is mutual."

"You're probably correct," Kristine smiled. "I'm just so happy he's going to be on his feet tomorrow."

"You know, you should consider competing in the Power Duo in Richland Port," Diego suggested. "It's a tag battle tournament running once a month. They draw in big crowds, especially in the final round."

"We should consider that," Kristine replied. "We've been talking about competing in televised tournaments."

"The Power Duo has many competitors along the east coast of Inventum," Diego continued. "But rarely do they get competitors coming from the Mountains. I would really like to see how you two would do, coming all this way and showing the competition how it's done."

"If anything, I think the Mountains made us both stronger as individuals," Kristine said. "Though, we're not even halfway through it."

"If you take it easy, the last half is a breeze," Diego said. "Don't push yourself. Just go steadily, and you'll make it out just fine."

Kristine smiled once more. "Thank you so much, once again."

Diego smiled back. "Anytime. I'll let you be while I head back to work."

"Hopefully it's not very demanding."

"Eh," Diego shrugged. "A lot of paper work and organizing shift rotations."

"Sounds like fun."

"If you like sitting around at a desk for eight hours straight."

"Ouch. Well, good luck!"

Diego laughed. "Might need a little bit of that."

Diego left Kristine's side, heading upstairs.

* * *

Later that night, Kristine had dinner at the open kitchen, sharing a long table with several other trainers, before heading upstairs. She even wondered where Julian and Amanda ran off to, having not seen them at all. _They probably got all flirty with eachother,_ Kristine suspected, thinking they perhaps went on a stroll together under the night sky.

She headed off to her room later on, and went to bed early. She was eager for the next day to arrive, so that she could see Jason on his feet. She slept soundly for nearly ten hours until the next morning.

Kristine got up and quickly got in the shower. After getting dressed and ready for the day, she headed downstairs, anxious to see her brother. She noticed that Nurse Joy was not in the lobby, so she headed towards the back where her brother was being kept.

She saw the door slightly open, so she proceeded inside.

"Take these meds with you," Nurse Joy said to Jason, who was standing up. "This will help keep your immune system bolstered. The main thing is to keep the flu out of your body to avoid chronic illness."

"Gotcha," Jason gave a nod. He wore a black t-shirt and blue jeans, ready to head out.

"I have your backpack right over here in the corner," Nurse Joy pointed out. "And I believe that is all. You're good to go! Just remember to take it easy before heading out."

"We'll be staying here for one more night as you suggested," Jason smiled. "I don't want to put my sister or pokemon through that ever again."

Nurse Joy glanced at Kristine, prompting Jason to realize she was there.

"If you need anything, just let me know," Nurse Joy smiled before leaving the room.

"Nurse Joy," Jason grabbed her attention. "Thank you for everything."

Nurse Joy gave a nod. "It's my duty to help people and pokemon alike!" She then left the room and headed back into the lobby.

Kristine approached Jason. "Hi."

"Hey," Jason smiled.

Kristine then gave Jason a big, tight hug. "I swear, if you die on me, I'm going to yell at you so loud, you're going to hear it."

"I won't ever put you through that again," Jason hugged back.

"You're not just my twin," Kristine continued. "You're my friend, and a darn good one at that."

"And I'm glad to have you as a sister and a friend," Jason smiled. "At least you keep my sorry butt in check."

Kristine took her arms off of Jason with a grin on her face. "I try to."

Jason took his arms off of Kristine as well. "I owe you my life. I owe you and –"

"No you don't, don't say that," Kristine generously replied.

"How else should I say it?" Jason asked. He showed his wrist to her, which still had injection marks from the potions she used on him. "You and our pokemon saved my life."

"It wasn't like we had a choice," Kristine replied.

"Still," Jason insisted on expressing his gratitude. "And you're not the only one to thank."

He pulled out his pokeballs and brought out Jolteon, Kirlia, Swellow, and Riolu. He handed Magikarp's pokeball for Kristine.

"Can you hold him for a sec, please?" he asked.

Kristine nodded, and released Magikarp, holding him in her arms.

"I just want to say thank you, everyone," Jason addressed his pokemon. "You all did your part in saving me, and that is much more than I ever could have asked."

Jason's pokemon chanted their names with confidence. They were all committed to standing by his side until the very end.

Jason kneeled down to Kirlia's eye level. "And Kirlia."

Kirlia walked forward. "Kirlia!" she gave a bow.

It was the first time Jason actually got to see Kirlia. She seemed to be more outgoing than when she was Ralts.

"I heard you used Heal Pulse to help save me," Jason continued. "And you evolved while doing it."

"Kirlia!" Kirlia nodded.

"Thank you," Jason smiled.

He got back up. "Thank you again, everyone. We'll be continuing our way across the Nappalchan Mountains tomorrow.

Jason then recalled his pokemon. He faced Kristine as he put on his jacket. "Let's get some fresh air."

"Right with you," Kristine smiled.

For the first time since he was emitted in the Pokemon Lodge, Jason freely walked out to the lobby. He stretched his arms and legs.

"It's good to actually move around," he said.

"I can imagine," Kristine replied. "Idle in bed for the past few days? Totally not like you."

Jason proceeded towards the exit of the pokemon lodge.

Kristine followed him outside, where he embraced the cold, crisp air.

"Nothing like the good old outdoors!" Jason took a whiff of fresh air.

Jason and Kristine could see Julian and Amanda from a distance, packed up and ready to head out.

"Hey guys!" Kristine greeted as she approached them.

"Oh, hey!" Amanda waved back.

"Look who it is!" Julian approached Jason.

Jason smiled. "I'm back in the action."

"That's good to hear," Julian patted Jason on the shoulder.

"Julian and I are getting ready to head out together," Amanda said. "We figured it's a good idea if we team up through the latter half of the Mountains."

There's just one thing we gotta do, Jason," Julian smirked. "Riolu versus Onix!"

"Let's do it!" Jason smirked back.

"You just got released from the pokemon lodge," Kristine smiled and rolled her eyes. "Are you sure you wanna jump into a battle so quickly?"

"Being out of action for three days is enough," Jason made his case.

"Fair enough," Kristine accepted.

"Kristine, we should totally be duo refs again!" Amanda suggested excitedly.

"For sure!" Kristine was just as excited for it.

The four walked over to the same spot Kristine and Amanda fought the previous day. Julian took to the far side of the field and faced Jason.

"You ready?" he asked.

Jason gave a nod. "Absolutely."

"Today's pokemon battle is between Jason Kyar and Julian…" Kristine spoke, but realized she didn't know Julian's last name. She faced him. "What's your last name?"

"Varrek," Julian said.

"Julian Varrek!" Kristine finished.

"The battle is a one versus one, meaning that the last pokemon standing wins!" Amanda added.

Kristine faced Jason. "Challenger Jason, are you ready?"

Jason blandly looked at his sister. "Uh, yes."

Amanda faced Julian. "Challenger Julian, are you ready?"

Julian chuckled. "Yes I am."

"Then let the battle begin!" Amanda and Kristine announced at the same time.

"Standby, Onix!" Julian used his Pokeball to summon Onix.

The massive rock snake roared as he towered over everyone.

"So that's Onix," Jason smirked. He then pulled out Riolu's pokeball. "Okay, Riolu, let's go!"

"Rio!" Riolu howled as soon as he was summoned.

Jason took note at the fact that Riolu didn't seem at all intimidated by Onix and his sheer size.

"Riolu, let's use Quick Attack!" Jason commanded.

Riolu charged at Onix.

"Onix, use Rock Tomb!" Julian responded.

Onix roared, and slammed the ground with his body. This caused the ground to shake, as massive rock formations appeared to surround Riolu.

"Force Palm your way out of there!" Jason yelled.

Riolu kept running forward and blasted his way through the rock formation in front of him with Force Palm.

"Dragon Breath!" Julian followed up.

Onix locked right on Riolu and fired a bluish flame at him. Riolu was unable to dodge the attack.

"Riolu!" Jason looked on, seeing that Riolu took a direct hit.

Riolu was at one knee, but he withstood the attack. He faced Onix with determination.

Jason smirked. "Let's use Copycat!"

Riolu stood back up with a blue aura that outlined him. He glared at Onix, and fired Dragon Breath right back at him.

Onix roared as he took a direct hit from his own attack. He managed to stand strong, however.

"Onix, use Tackle!" Julian commanded.

Onix lunged forward at Riolu.

"Use Force Palm, let's go!" Jason responded.

Riolu charged at Onix. He slid underneath the behemoth as he roared right over him. Riolu then rolled to the side and jumped into the air before striking Onix's neck using Force Palm. The super effective attack knocked Onix to the ground, though he was quick to get up.

"Use Rock Tomb to trap Riolu!" Julian yelled.

Onix faced Riolu and slammed the ground once more, trapping Riolu inside massive rock formations from all angles.

"Now use Tackle!" Julian followed up.

Onix smashed through his own Rock Tomb and struck Riolu head on. Riolu flew right through the rock formation behind him, and tumbled over and over again across the field.

"Stand strong, Riolu!" Jason yelled.

"Let's finish this!" Julian saw the opportunity to win. "Onix, Dragon Breath!"

Onix roared, and fired another blue flame at Riolu.

"Endure!" Jason called.

Riolu stood there, using his arms to brace the attack. The blue flames consumed him.

"Alright!" Julian cheered.

The smoke and flames cleared. Still Riolu held on from the attack. He was gasping for air, but he still held on.

"How did he make it through Dragon Breath?" Julian seemed surprised.

Jason smirked. "It's an ability called Endure, which allows Riolu to brace an attack that would otherwise knock him out."

He then faced Riolu. "Copycat!"

Riolu projected a blue aura once more. He then unleashed Dragon Breath back at Onix, striking him head on.

Onix slammed to the ground, and struggled to get back up.

"Run in and Force Palm!" Jason sought to finish this battle.

Riolu charged at Onix and struck his head with Force Palm. Onix slammed to the ground once more and was unable to get back up.

"Onix is unable to battle!" Amanda declared.

"Riolu is the winner!" Kristine added. "Good job, Riolu!"

"Rio!" Riolu howled.

"Return, Onix!" Julian recalled him. "Great effort out there."

"You too, Riolu!" Jason recalled Riolu.

Julian faced Jason. "You're one tough opponent."

"So are you," Jason commended.

Julian smirked. "Next time, I'll win."

He faced Amanda. "Shall we head out?"

"Sure," Amanda nodded.

"Well, guess we'll see you guys on the east coast!" Julian made his farewell, and headed towards the main path.

"Stay safe out there!" Kristine waved goodbye.

Amanda approached Julian. She then turned her head to Jason and Kristine. "Bye all! See you soon!"

"See ya!" Jason replied.

Julian and Amanda soon departed, heading back onto the road that runs east across the Nappalchan Mountains.

"Well," Jason turned to Kristine. "They're getting stronger."

"Our friend-rivals are getting stronger," Kristine smirked.

"Which means we need to be stronger," Jason added.

The twins proceeded with their morning routines. After one more day taking it easy at the pokemon lodge, they were ready to finally head out. Their main goal is getting to the Eastern Pokemon Lodge, but they knew they had a long way to go. And they realized that the best way there is the slow and steady way. Nonetheless, their drive to become the very best never fizzled. If anything, they became stronger together since entering the Nappalchan Mountains. And they knew they would emerge from the Mountains stronger than ever…

* * *

 **Character Updates (because they're a bit past due). Here's where everyone is at, or where they're presumed to be:**

 **Jason Kyar - Central Pokemon Lodge**

 **Pokemon: Jolteon, Swellow, Kirlia, Magikarp, Riolu**

 **Kristine Kyar - Central Pokemon Lodge**

 **Pokemon: Espeon, Fletchinder, Pikachu, Machop, Snorunt**

 **Julian Varrek - Last seen at Central Pokemon Lodge**

 **Pokemon: Grotle, Pidgeotto, Pancham, Onix**

 **Amanda - Last seen at Central Pokemon Lodge**

 **Pokemon: Wartortle, Staravia, Ledian, Nidorina, Feebas**

 **Liz - Last seen at the Western Pokemon Lodge. Presumed to be ahead of the twins.**

 **Pokemon: Charmeleon, Mankey, Purrloin, Phanpy**

 **Bran - Last seen towards Nappalchan Approach, training for a rematch with Justin. Presumed to be well behind the twins.**

 **Pokemon: Ivysaur, Kadabra, Hoothoot**

 **Alex - Last seen in Central Pokemon Lodge. Presumed to have headed out following his conversation with Kristine, and is likely well ahead.**

 **Pokemon: Monferno (presumed that Chimchar evolved), Beedrill, Rhyhorn, Sneasel, Panpour (these are his last known pokemon, as he claims to have much more)**


	22. The Longest Trek

The twins were finally able to travel east after spending the past few days at the pokemon lodge. Jason was able to make a full recovery, and he felt really good for the first time since coming down with the flu. He was eager to continue his journey as a pokemon trainer, as was Kristine.

After their morning training routine, they traveled along a passageway in between jagged cliffs. Kristine pulled out her handbook to see what was in store for them.

"Outpost Echo is roughly a week away," she noted. "Between here and there are some great sights. We'll be taken back up the mountains like with Charlie and Delta."

"A good way to start The Longest Trek," Jason replied.

"The Longest Trek?" Kristine turned to her brother.

Jason replied with confidence. "It needs a name."

"I see. I think I like that name."

After making it through the pass, the twins were taken up a ridge, as the path made multiple passes leading up the ridge. Once they made it up top, the twins took a moment to look back.

"Wow…" Kristine was in awe. "You can see the pokemon lodge from here."

The twins could see the lodge nested deep in the mountains, surrounded by massive cliffs.

"Well," Kristine spoke. "Shall we continue The Longest Trek?"

"You bet," Jason smirked.

The twins continued onwards. They ventured through more passages during the day, and made camp at a flat area near the path by night. The next day, they trained some more at a nearby stream so that Magikarp could join in.

They continued the same routine day after day, passing by narrow passages and gazing into the endless range of mountains and valleys when they had the chance. On the fourth day of traveling, there was snowfall. Instead of bracing through the snow, the twins spent most of the day riding it out beneath their tent. Kristine took note on how beautiful the scenery was as white snow covered the mountainous landscape all around them.

The next day, the sun dominated the sky as the snow quickly melted away. Jason and Kristine were able to move onwards, navigating through more cliffs and passages. They even navigated through a lightly covered forest, habited by several kinds of flying type pokemon.

"Spearow, swablu, taillow," Jason observed.

The avian pokemon all chirped and chanted away as the twins made it through the forest. Upon their exit, the twins encountered a pass with needled cliffs dotting the landscape.

"The Hundred Needles Pass," Kristine read the handbook. "This used to be a raikou nest once upon a time."

"Raikou…" Jason muttered. "I wonder how many legendary pokemon live in the Mountains, or have lived here?"

"A lot," Kristine replied. "I mean, the Nappalchan Mountains are so big and wide, and some areas are inaccessible by foot. There has to be quite a few, at the very least."

Jason and Kristine navigated through the pass, looking left and right at the needled towers and cliffs.

"This is really awesome," Jason remarked.

"Mmhmm," Kristine agreed.

They were taken uphill after traversing through the pass. They were able to look back at the Hundred Needles Pass.

"How many more awesome places do we get to see here?" Jason asked.

"A lot more," Kristine replied.

Two days later, the twins climbed up the spiral staircase that led into Outpost Echo. Although tired after a long day of traveling, they never felt stressed, nor did they feel the pressure of continuing on. They spent the night at the small post manned by a single pokemon ranger before moving onwards.

Both Jason and Kristine both sensed a certain feeling they were having for the first time in weeks. They were actually having fun traveling. It wasn't just the same old boring routine. They got to spend time with their pokemon every day, playing and training with them. Then, they got to see not only the most beautiful locations of the Nappalchan Mountains, but all of Inventum, and even the world. They remembered what being a trainer was all about; the adventure, the friendships, and the challenges. And they knew the most important thing was to enjoy all of that.

In the afternoon following their departure from Outpost Echo, the twins came across a wooden suspended bridge hanging roughly two hundred feet over nothing but jagged terrain below. They were sandwiched in between mountains.

Jason went in first, slowly balancing his way through the bridge as Kristine followed him. They both managed to make it through safely without incident. Afterwards, they continued through a pass that took them across the two mountains. They were rewarded with another sightseeing moment, as they were able to gaze endlessly upon the Nappalchan Mountains, pointing out the mountains, lakes, rivers, and cliffs that resided before them.

Two days later, the path took Jason and Kristine right into a tunnel cutting through a mountain. Once they emerged, they traversed across a well-structured wooden bridge that took them over a massive river.

"The Mison River," Kristine noted. "This cuts Inventum into two. We'll be crossing it again."

The river had to be at least several hundred feet wide. The current was calm and peaceful as the twins made it to a small island in the middle before joining another bridge that took them to the other side.

Once they made it through, the twins continued along a densely forested area. They made camp inside the forest that night, and ventured past it the next morning. After traversing through more rugged passes, they climbed up another steep hill.

Three more days passed. Jason and Kristine had reached Outpost Foxtrot, making great time. They were greeted warmly by the ranger couple who were assigned to the outpost. They were also reminded that they were no longer in the 'center of the Mountains', and are now in the home stretch.

The 'home stretch', however, was at least one month away. The last two remaining ranger outposts were stretched further apart than the rest. Jason and Kristine didn't really think about that. They focused on getting towards the end, on getting through The Longest Trek. And they had no timetable on accomplishing the task; they just knew they were going to do so.

The weather warmed up to the point Kristine tied her sweatshirt around her waist one day, sporting a white tank top. Jason also tied his jacket around his waist, keeping his black t-shirt.

They ventured into a wilderness hosted by many types of pokemon. From the poliwag swimming across the streams to the beedrill and butterfree flying about, and from the roaming stantler to the wandering teddiursa, the twins contemplated about adding a sixth pokemon to their teams. They knew they had to at some point, especially when the Inventum Cup required a registered team of six pokemon, not to mention that some other tournaments and even gym leaders may require six Pokemon.

Nonetheless, the twins decided now was not the time to add a new pokemon to their teams. They didn't feel like the opportunity had risen up, though they were well aware their captures never went according to plan.

It took a few days to get through the wilderness. Once they did, the twins traversed through another mountainous pass. One day, the weather picked up as clouds quickly covered the sky. It began to rain, and soon thunder was heard from a distance. Jason and Kristine sought cover underneath a cliff that extended far enough to shelter them. Then, they simply waited out the storm.

The storm came down hard, much like the day Jason acquired Riolu, where the storm raged on and Riolu endured it. At one point, the wind blew so hard that the rain swept in and blanketed both Jason and Kristine. Kristine laughed at the ordeal as Jason joined in. They were soaked, but they enjoyed the moment.

After the storm passed, they made camp and changed into warm clothes while trying to dry out their soaked ones. They eventually continued onwards, traversing through more jagged passages.

They trained their pokemon and traveled bit by bit every day. Their Pokemon got stronger in the process, and they became more capable trainers because of it. Both Jason and Kristine knew the constant routine and traveling across the Nappalchan Mountains would condition them to take on just about anything.

They both imagined that the Nappalchan Mountains was a form of boot camp, a training ground that would bolster them as individuals and make them better leaders to their pokemon. Then, they would be unleashed upon the east coast of Inventum. They remembered what Diego told them about the Power Duo tournaments in Richland Port. This was something they were definitely interested in, and because of that, they began training for tag battles.

They thought of how to synergize their pokemon and abilities to their full potential, experimenting with different pairs. The same type pairings were often the most successful as they were the easiest to synergize with. Swellow and Fletchling displayed unmatched speed through synchronized flying attacks while Riolu and Machop looked like they could take on the entire world just by themselves. Jolteon and Pikachu proved they are a good team by sealing the Tranquility Badge for the twins. Jason and Kristine knew Jolteon's ability to be healed by electric attacks would throw opponents off.

Espeon and Kirlia also shared synergy with one another, utilizing their psychic abilities to coordinate their attacks into devastating combos. It was also when Jason realized that his visions from Kirlia while he was sick were no mere coincidence. Kirlia learned the move Future Sight when she evolved. Not only did she have the ability to grant Jason glimpses of the future at will, Future Sight can also be used as a devastating attack in battle, using psychic energy to blast an opponent well in advance.

Jason and Kristine also worked with other pairs, including Kirlia and Machop, Snorunt and Swellow, and of course, Jolteon and Espeon. Jason even made sure to never leave Magikarp out of anything, and paired him up with Kirlia. Kirlia would move small objects such as rocks or branches using telekinesis, while Magikarp would knock them out of the air using Tackle.

During the training regimens, the twins became more comfortable in tag battle coordination. They knew that they would have to battle harder than they ever did in any kind of tournament, because they were well aware that anyone competing in any tournament in Inventum would have at least one badge. By Inventum League rules, the minimum requirement for any tournament was for participants to have at least one badge. Some tournaments may require more.

Jason and Kristine continued on day after day, not losing a single ounce of their spirit. Ten days after reaching Outpost Foxtrot, they finally reached Outpost Gulf. Unlike every other Outpost they came across, this one was tucked within some woodlands. They noticed a shift in the scenery. Not only were they in the eastern section of the Nappalchan Mountains, they were heading towards Inventum's east coast. The air was getting warmer, and there was no sight of snow anywhere.

The twins had visual proof that they were making progress, that there was an end to the mountains after all. Since crossing the Mison River, the rugged, barren landscape gave way to lush, more habitable landscapes. Having reached Outpost Gulf, there was only one more to go before reaching the Eastern Pokemon Lodge.

Jason and Kristine called it an early night in an attempt to get a long, peaceful rest before heading out the next morning. Then for the first time since coming down with the flu, Jason started experiencing visions once again.

He stood there at the center of an empty stadium once more, hearing echoes of screaming fans that were not visible to him. As he tried to decipher the meaning behind all of this, his sister appeared before him.

"Well, Jason, this is it," Kristine said.

The stadium's environment vanished all around Jason, and the next thing he knew, he was on top of a canyon overlooking the red and brown valleys below.

"You ready for this?" Kristine said with a smirk on her face. She then approached the edge of the cliff before dashing to it.

"Let's do it!" Jason heard his own voice. To his surprise, Kristine jumped right off the cliff, with no fear and no equipment to slow her fall.

Jason then woke up. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was actually a vision, and he had woken up to reality. He looked over to his right to see his sister sound asleep. He then reached for his nightstand and picked up Kirlia's pokeball. He held it before his eyes, staring right into it.

"Kirlia…" he muttered. "You're trying to show me glimpses of the future, aren't you?"

Jason put the pokeball down and attempted to go back to sleep. He managed to fall back asleep soundly after a while, and woke up the next morning after his sister.

"Morning Jason," Kristine greeted, still in her pajamas. She was sitting on her bed, reading through the field guide.

"Morning, sis," Jason lifted his head up. "I had a weird dream. Or vision. Or something."

"Oh?" Kristine seemed interested, and put the guide down to look at Jason.

"I was inside an empty stadium," Jason explained. "Then the next thing I saw was you jumping off a cliff over a canyon."

"Was I wearing a parachute?" Kristine asked the first thing that came to her mind.

Jason shook his head. "Not that I saw."

"Hmm," Kristine pondered. "It could be a dream."

"Yet I felt as if Kirlia was trying to show me the future," Jason spoke. "I don't know…it's hard to explain."

"It could be metaphorical," Kristine thought. "Why would I just jump off a cliff?"

Jason rubbed his chin. "Perhaps you're right."

"I've felt as if we've taken a leap of faith since we started becoming trainers," Kristine continued.

Jason got up. "I guess only time will tell what that's supposed to mean."

"Yep," Kristine gave a nod. "We got another day ahead of us. I don't think we're going to be cliff-diving anytime soon."

Jason went into the bathroom to get ready for the day, while Kristine got dressed in the bedroom. They both headed onwards across the wilderness after their morning routines.

The air was fresh, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. The twins continued on, hearing the chants of native pokemon in the wilderness. Towards the afternoon, they came across a lake nested against the mountains on the far side. The lake itself was a clear cascade blue with remarkable beauty to the eyes of both Jason and Kristine.

They both decided to call it an early day and settle beside the lake with their pokemon out. In the evening, the sat at the edge of the lake side by side.

"How long have we been trainers?" Kristine asked Jason.

"It has to be about four months or so, hasn't it?" Jason lightly shrugged. "I kinda lost count of the days since we started going through the Mountains."

Kristine chuckled. "Think about how much we did in those four months. Look at all of our Pokemon."

Jason looked around to see Pikachu and Snorunt playing, Fletchinder and Swellow flying around, Jolteon and Espeon relaxing nearby, Riolu and Machop skirmishing about, Kirlia practicing dancing routines, and Magikarp swimming across the lake.

"Did you think we'd be in this position when we started?" Kristine continued.

"No," Jason replied. "As a matter of fact, I don't think we knew what we got ourselves into four months ago."

"Just think about it," Kristine smiled, continuing to gaze into the lake. "We're closing in on the east coast. We've done so much, yet we have so much more to do. We only have two badges, and we haven't entered a single tournament, other than the Mystic Showcase, if that really counts."

"Richland Port is home to the Power Duo," Jason mentioned. "Do you want to enter it?"

"If we can register in time," Kristine replied. "I think it'll be great for the both of us."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "But you know who's been dominating it lately, right?"

"The Donnovan Twins?" Kristine recalled. "They've won it like four times in a row, right?"

Jason smirked. "It doesn't matter."

"No, it doesn't," Kristine faced her brother with a determined look. "The Kyar Twins will come straight out of the Mountains and give them a run for their money."

"We won't just give them a run for their money," Jason faced Kristine.

"All the way?" Kristine kept her expression of confidence.

"All the way," Jason gave a nod.

The twins spent the evening relaxing by the lake before recalling their pokemon and heading into the tent for the night. They began their routines the next morning. While neither of them wanted to leave the lake so soon, they knew they needed to continue on. After one last look at the lake, the twins ventured onward deeper into the wilderness.

They both had to navigate through uneven terrain, eventually following the path down the slope of a hill.

"We're beginning to descend towards the sea level," Kristine noted, looking at her field guide.

"That's good, right?" Jason asked.

"Yep," Kristine affirmed. "We have some passages to go through, but we're in the home stretch."

A short while later, Jason and Kristine walked across a wooden bridge lodged between two hills. Upon reaching the other side, they had a nice glimpse of tree-covered hills and mountains before them.

"Legend says that Arceus granted life in the Nappalchan Mountains for people and pokemon alike to thrive in," Kristine mentioned.

"East of the Mison, apparently," Jason added.

"Well, the legend foretells of a nation of tribes in the Mountains," Kristine continued. "Arceus granted life on the condition that this nation of tribes would maintain the land and keep it prosperous for generations to come. The leader of the nation wanted to harness the power of Arceus. This caused a rebellion, which was led by a woman who wanted to work at maintaining the land granted to her people. The nation's leader cracked down on her and her followers, forcing them to swim across the Mison as a form of exile. Those who survived resettled and maintained the lands, while that nation of tribes eventually dwindled and disappeared.

"Some say their worship of Arceus became their downfall, because they became too reliant on him. Others who believe the legend say Arceus himself punished those who sought his power."

"Do you believe the legend?" Jason asked. "I mean, when early settlers came here they found the entire region empty."

Kristine shrugged. "There's a thousand theories and no real explanation. So anything is possible."

The twins proceeded downhill and began to navigate through the hills and mountains before them. Day after day, they progressed through the wilderness. They slept within an empty cave off the path one night due to heavy rain. The next morning, there was not a single cloud in the sky as they continued on.

At last, they closed in on the final ranger outpost, Outpost Hotel. They came across the base of a waterfall, roaring fiercely as the twins felt the mist projected from the impact of the waterfall. They looked ahead to see the bridge that would take them over the river and directly to Outpost Hotel.

"So this is Whitewater Falls," Kristine pointed out to Jason. "If we were heading west, this would have been our first landmark."

"But now it's home to our last outpost," Jason spoke with a grin on his face.

The twins crossed the bridge and entered Outpost Hotel.

"Welcome to Outpost Hotel!" the red-haired woman behind the desk greeted. She stood up to observe the twins. "Ah, you're from the other side of the Mison, aren't you?"

"Yep," Kristine nodded.

"Well, you're almost to the end!" the woman smiled. "First room on the right down the hall is yours for the night. You have about ten more days until the Eastern Pokemon Lodge. Then it's an easy Route 109 straight into Richland Port."

"That's good to hear," Jason maintained his grin.

"I just have to say congratulations," the woman continued. "It's no easy task making it this far."

"Thanks!" Kristine smiled back.

"Yeah, thanks!" Jason added. "But we're not out of the woods yet."

"No pun intended, I'm assuming," Kristine said.

The woman chuckled. "It gets much easier from here."

"I sure hope so," Jason snickered. "I almost died in the middle of the Mountains."

"Oh my gosh," the woman gasped. "I am so sorry."

Kristine put her arm around Jason's back. "This knucklehead here almost worked himself to death. Came down with a bad flu, but you guys helped save him."

"And this one here refuses to take the credit though she kept me alive long enough for help to come," Jason added.

"I think I heard about you two," the woman recalled. "The report went to all of the rangers," she looked at Jason. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks," Jason said.

"Just remember to be mindful of yourself out there," the woman continued. "Sometimes, trainers don't know their own limits. It can be life-threatening."

Kristine let go of Jason. "We've taken it easy since then."

"I've learned my lesson," Jason added with a slight snicker.

After a peaceful night at Outpost Hotel, the twins headed onwards the next day. They continued to train all of their pokemon while preparing themselves for the Power Duo. Neither of them knew whether or not they would be able to register for the next tournament at all. But they practiced for it as if they were already registered nonetheless.

"If we don't make the next one, what should we do?" Kristine asked Jason.

"Then we make the one after that," Jason added.

"Even if we have to wait more than an entire month?"

"Even if so. You're right, sis. We have to do this. This is for us and our pokemon. We have to show Inventum who we are. We have already done so much."

"And there's so much more to do," Kristine finished his sentence.

Jason and Kristine continued on the path towards the last pokemon lodge. As the days went by, the terrain became flatter and flatter. This was it, they both thought – the end of the Nappalchan Mountains.

For each day that passed, they became slightly more eager to reach the finish line and complete The Longest Trek. They walked through a densely wooded area, and were relieved to see how straight the path actually was. There were no curves, no uneven terrain, no passages or dangerous cliffs; just a simple, straight line.

They couldn't help but anxiously anticipate reaching the end. They were weary, but they knew they became stronger than ever before, not just mentally, but physically as well.

Kristine rolled up her right sleeve and flexed her muscle. "Well, at least the Nappalchan Mountains helped give me these bad boys," she said with a smirk on her face.

Jason took off his jacket and flexed his muscles. "Talk about one heck of a workout program."

"Right?" Kristine laughed.

Moments later, they spotted a trainer approaching their way, heading westward into the Nappalchan Mountains. Jason and Kristine both waved at the male trainer, who appeared to be their age.

"Hi!" the boy greeted. "You're heading east. How is it? How's the journey?"

"Well," Kristine tried to formulate a response.

"It's going to be the toughest challenge of your life," Jason replied. "But if you're up to the challenge, you can do it. Just remember to not push yourself beyond your limit when it's not necessary."

"Gotcha," the boy acknowledged. "Looking at the both of you, you've been through a lot."

Kristine smiled. "We have. Remember to be safe out there."

"Will do!" the boy gave a nod. "Hey, the east coast is beautiful! Hope you enjoy it!"

"If you like the countryside, I think you'll love the mountain regions of Inventum," Jason added.

"Looking forward to it!" the boy said as he departed. "See ya!"

Jason and Kristine both waved goodbye.

"He seemed happy and confident," Kristine noticed. "I hope he stays that way on the other side."

"If we did it, so can he," Jason replied.

The twins continued on, remembering not to push themselves too hard. The end was in reach, but they knew the Pokemon Lodge wasn't going to go anywhere. They continued their morning routines and steady doses of traveling, chipping towards the goal bit by bit.

Then one day, they came across a sign, a sign that was visual proof that their goal was within reach.

"Eastern Pokemon Lodge, one mile," Kristine read. "Jason! We're here! We're finally here!"

"Oh, thank goodness," Jason took a breath of relief.

The twins walked one more mile down the road. They kept walking until they saw the three story lodge before them.

"There it is…" Jason muttered. He couldn't believe that this was the end, that this was actually it.

"Race you there!" Kristine said with a smirk on her face. She then bolted towards the Lodge.

"Hey!" Jason sprinted right behind her.

Kristine ran as fast as she could to the pokemon lodge, while Jason tried to catch up to her. He eventually did, as the twins ran side by side towards the pokemon lodge. They put on their brakes upon reaching the entrance. The glass doors slid open automatically as they successfully completed the long trek of the Nappalchan Mountains.

The twins both had their hands on their knees, gasping for air.

"We did it, Jason," Kristine faced her brother. "Oh my gosh, we did it, bro."

Jason started to become overwhelmed with joy. He fell on his knees, placing his hands on the ground. Kristine kneeled down to pat him on the back.

"We made it all the way here," Jason spoke. "That was incredible."

Nurse Joy took note of the twins' emotional celebration and approached them. "You came here all the way from Saint Brandon?" she asked.

"Yeah," Kristine looked up at her. "Well, we're from Mountainspring. We traveled all the way here."

"Well, congratulations on making it here!" Nurse Joy kneeled down to eye-level with the twins. "I've seen some celebrations during my time here, but this one is pretty emotional. Must've been quite the challenge, huh?"

"Sure has," Kristine replied. "We've been through a lot. My brother has been through a lot. We're just lucky to be here. And alive."

"I see," Nurse Joy observed both Jason and Kristine. "Let's get you settled in. I've got water, cookies, a washer and dryer for your clothes, nice, comfy chairs in the lobby, and a television screen."

Kristine helped Jason up as Nurse Joy led them to a nearby sofa across from a massive flat screen TV. Nurse Joy walked away, while Kristine turned on the television using the near by remote control.

"Richland Port's Power Duo 60 is just ten days away!" The anchorman announced. It was just pure coincidence that Kristine turned on the television at this exact moment. "We have reached the deadline for the registrations. Dominant duo Dan and Dave have once again declared for the tournament, and once again, they are the favorites in winning this championship. Let's go over to reporter Yenela Kreea for analysis on the Power Duo. Yenela, are there any competitors that could stand in the twins' way?"

"The 'twins'," Kristine muttered.

"Too bad we can't make the next one," Jason added with a slight sigh.

The screen cut to a woman with blonde hair tied in a bun with a massive pokemon stadium behind her. "Well, Tim, Dan and Dave have won the Power Duo four consecutive times, and it seems they just get better and better each tournament. They are the heavy favorites to win for the fifth time in a row, and when I spoke to them, they told me it's very important to win this milestone in the tournament. This is the 60th Power Duo tournament, and what better way is there to win it than right now while going for their fifth consecutive win, and their seventh in the past ten tournaments?"

"Are there any newcomers we should look out for?" Tim asked.

"All but two teams have competed before, Tim," Yenela replied. "But as far as surprises are concerned, we will have to wait and see."

"Alright, well, thank you for the report, Yenela," Tim acknowledged.

The screen then cut entirely back to Tim.

"You can watch the Power Duo 60 directly on our website on the extranet. The final round will be televised right here on IPSN, as always. Coming up next, some call him cocky, others call him arrogant, but those who know him call him the smartest, most creative individual alive. IPSN's special report on Spark, the leader of Team Instinct, is coming right after the break."

"Well, there's always Power Duo 61," Kristine remained upbeat.

"It gives us that much more time to prepare," Jason expressed the same attitude.

The twins were relieved to have completed what they would forever dub as the Longest Trek. With just a week to go to get to Richland Port, Jason and Kristine took the rest of the day as an opportunity to settle down and quietly celebrate the huge accomplishment of traversing through the Nappalchan Mountains. With one massive task out of the way, Jason and Kristine can look forward to Richland Port, the Power Badge, an eventually, the Power Duo.

* * *

 **A/N: I tried to balance the pacing of the twins' journey through the Mountains. They've experienced hardships in the first half and learned all they could to coast through the latter half. I tried to detail that as much as I could. As the twins transition to the coastal subregion of Inventum, they seek to make their mark as upcoming formidable trainers. They know what they've been through, and they know how much stronger, both physically and mentally, they have become, but the people on the coast have no idea who they are. So the next few chapters will be fun!**


	23. Land of the Brave

"We're finally here, on the east coast!" Kristine cheered as she and Jason proceeded on the road leading straight to Richland Port.

"The city's massive," Jason gazed at the skyline.

Richland Port was a massive city built right on Richland Bay, which overlooked the ocean. The buildings towered to at least thirty or forty stories tall, the twins thought. All kinds of boats and yachts were scattered across the bay. It looked to be pretty bustling, and Kristine was already in love with the city.

"I think we're going to have a lot of fun here," she spoke with a smile on her face.

"I hope so," Jason appeared to be overwhelmed just by looking at the city.

The twins approached the city. Once they reached the limits, they began walking on sidewalks next to streets as vehicles whizzed by.

"Streets for vehicles?" Jason's mind became boggled by that very concept.

"Much of the east coast cities are like that," Kristine said. "Richland Port is the second largest city in Inventum, next to Viceport."

"I guess I should get used to this," Jason looked around.

The twins walked past many people and the occasional pokemon on their way to the pokemon center several blocks down. The idea of a bustling city full of people was inviting to Kristine, but too much for Jason. While Kristine felt at home, Jason was eager to rush into the pokemon center and isolate himself. Kristine realized that he was feeling uneasy, perhaps suffering from a sensory overload.

Once inside the pokemon center, Nurse Joy gave the twins a keycard for their room on the second floor. Jason walked inside, feeling able to finally relax.

"Don't like the city life at all, huh?" Kristine asked.

"I feel like I can't really breathe," Jason admitted. "I like the quiet and openness back home. I don't like how densely populated this city is."

"To each their own," Kristine replied. "But eventually, you're going to have thousands of people watch you battle, with many more watching you from their TV screens or on the extranet. Can you handle that?"

"I guess we'll find out," Jason smirked. "But that's something I'll try not to think about."

"That might be the ideal approach for you," Kristine smiled. "I know you're the quiet introvert. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable out here."

"I can manage," Jason assured his sister.

"Hey," Kristine had an idea. "You wanna go see if we can get tickets to the Power Duo tomorrow? Perhaps we can take notes on how things work before we compete for next month."

"Sure," Jason liked the suggestion. "Even though we're both trainers, I'd love to go see a live tournament."

Kristine walked over to the window and gazed into the street before her. Cars were moving by, as were people and their pokemon on the sidewalks. Jason, meanwhile, sat down on the closest twin bed to her.

"Their entertainment district has a lot of arcades and nightclubs," Kristine mentioned. "The stadium and gym are both in the center."

"How big's the stadium?" Jason asked.

"It's decent," Kristine faced her brother. "It can hold about 60,000 or so."

"That's decent?" Jason looked right at Kristine.

"Yep," Kristine replied. "Welcome to the east coast, Jason. Viceport has a stadium that seats 80,000, while PokeWorld's main stadium seats 100,000."

"When they say more than two thirds of Inventum's population live on the east coast, I guess they really meant it," Jason commented.

"We should at least take some days off and spend time here," Kristine suggested. "There's so much to do here."

"Like arcades and dancing?" Jason chuckled.

"Well, more to it than that," Kristine pulled out her field guide and flipped the pages to Richland Port. "There's stuff to do we can both enjoy. There's a massive memorial near a pokemon park dedicated to the fallen soldiers and pokemon of the War."

"The War Memorial," Jason said the formal name of the memorial.

"I think we should go see that tomorrow, if you're up for it," Kristine said. "We should at least pay our respects there."

"That sounds like a good idea," Jason replied. "First, we get tickets for the Power Duo, then, we head there."

Kristine nodded. "Except for one thing…"

"What's that?"

"It costs money to get tickets."

"Money? Don't we have like few hundred bucks or something?"

"Well, considering we spent about $20 replenishing supplies from day one of our adventures," Kristine walked over to her backpack and dug into it. She then pulled out a paper bag where their money was being kept. "Luckily, room and board and further supplies were provided by the pokemon centers and Lodges. Yet we did spend another $20 on arcade games in Fort Lexing. We've spent quite a bit replenishing on things here and there, so we're down to about $100."

"Which means at some point we either win tournaments or find work."

Kristine nodded. "Pretty much."

"Well then, how much is it to get Power Duo tickets?"

"For the whole thing? $80 for each person for the cheapest seats."

"Surely we can figure something out. Would they do discounts for those in the Inventum League?"

"That is a possibility. We should head over to the box office there tomorrow morning to see what we can get."

"Good enough for me," Jason rested his head on his bed.

Kristine walked over to the terminal. "We better call Mom."

"Right," Jason lifted his head and torso back up. He then scooted over right behind Kristine, who sat down on a chair before the terminal.

Kristine initiated the call, and Veronica answered seconds later.

"Hi Mom!" Kristine waved.

"Hi Mom!" Jason made sure he was visible to Veronica.

"Hello there!" Veronica smiled. "I see you've made it all the way to Richland Port!"

"Yep!" Kristine confirmed. "It's been a while, but we're finally here!"

"And to think that five months ago, you began your adventures," Veronica leaned back. "I'm very proud of the both of you, and your father would be, too."

"It wasn't easy," Jason chuckled.

"Now that you're out of the Mountains, do you plan on doing anything for fun?" Veronica asked.

"I think we're going to relax for a few days at least before challenging the Gym Leader," Kristine said.

"That's good," Veronica smiled. "Remember to take a break now and again. Crossing the Nappalchan Mountains is no easy feat. You and your pokemon deserve a good rest."

Veronica leaned forward. "Now, do you know about the Gym Leader of Richland Port?"

"Yeah," Kristine nodded. "Sam Meeks."

"He goes by Commander Meeks and he's largely responsible for the dissolving of combat pokemon in armies all across the world," Veronica explained. "He's also Wall's mentor. As a matter of fact, Wall is flying to Richland Port as we speak. You might be able to see him while you're in town."

"Of course, it took us three months to travel across the Mountains," Jason laughed, seeing the irony of the situation. "And he's going to be here in the morning."

"What's Wall doing here, if I may ask?" Kristine chimed in.

"Vacation," Veronica replied. "Wall and Meeks go back decades. They get together at least once a year."

"We'll have to pay Wall a visit at some point," Jason said.

"Absolutely!" Kristine agreed.

"Anyways," Veronica continued. "Power Duo 60 is right around the corner."

"Yeah," Kristine spoke with a slight sigh. "We weren't able to register in time. Perhaps we can do so in the next one."

"I think the both of you would do very well if you were to compete in it," Veronica smiled with confidence in her children.

Jason stood right up. "We have to do it when it rolls around next month!"

"Jason and I were looking into getting tickets for the tournament tomorrow," Kristine added. "We should ask about registering for the Power Duo 61 while we're at it."

"They sometimes take registrations well in advance," Veronica said. "Very rarely would they take one at the last minute."

"I guess we should have considered that," Jason added. "But it's fine. We'll catch the next one!"

Contact me again when you plan to leave Richland Port!" Veronica smiled. "Continue to do me proud. Love you both!"

"Love you too!" Jason and Kristine spoke at the same time.

Veronica then turned off the video feed.

"Well," Kristine turned to Jason. "Let's get some good rest and we can do some business tomorrow."

After a long, peaceful sleep in warm beds, the twins got up and got ready the next morning. They let all of their Pokemon out in the gardens behind the Pokemon Center, where Magikarp was able to move freely in a small pond. After an hour playing with their pokemon, the twins recalled them and headed out towards the entertainment district of Richland Port.

They walked down the sidewalk and crossed several streets using the pedestrian crosswalks, bypassing individuals in business suits and the occasional trainer just like them. They soon found themselves in the flashy entertainment district, full of catchy signs, cafes, arcades, clubs, and more.

"Looks like you can spend what we have left in seconds," Jason observed, looking around at the tall buildings and seemingly expensive promotions the arcades, clubs, and stores have to offer."

Kristine walked up to a display window of a nearby department store. She particularly looked at a mannequin displaying what she believed was the cutest setup – a white visor with a green pokeball sigil on the front, a green slim fit t-shirt with a white outline of a Pokeball and black stripes on the sides, and black shorts that extend above the knees. To top it off, the mannequin had a black case wrapped around its shoulder with a green cover and a white outline of a Pokeball.

"I need this!" Kristine sincerely believed.

"Of course you do," Jason snickered.

Kristine looked at the price, then tilted her head down in disappointed. "The whole setup is $150. At least I can afford the pants."

"Yes, but you'd be using most of our money," Jason approached the glass display and examined the price.

"I wonder if we should pick up work here," Kristine suggested.

"Would anyone hire a couple twelve year olds?" Jason asked. "I mean, is it even legal?"

"If you do stuff like clean up parks or watch pokemon, yeah," Kristine looked at Jason.

"You really want this setup, don't you?" Jason looked at the mannequin.

Kristine turned her head back to it. "Yes."

Jason patted his sister on her shoulder. "It'll be yours, one day."

"One day," Kristine smiled. "Onwards!"

Jason and Kristine continued toward the center of the entertainment district. After turning the corner, the stadium became within sight of the twins.

"That's massive," Jason pointed out.

The stadium itself comprised of two bowls, the lower and upper bowls, and the spotlights extended high in the air. It was a sight to behold for both Jason and Kristine.

"Where's the Gym?" Jason asked.

"On the other side," Kristine replied.

The twins walked down the sidewalk until they reached the square where the stadium resided. They then approached the massive structure and walked up to the box office just outside one of the entrances.

"Hello!" said the woman behind the glass box. "You're the first customers of the day. Looking for tickets to the Power Duo?"

"Yep," Kristine nodded. "My brother and I are both trainers. We were wondering if there are any discounts for Inventum League participants."

"You're in the Inventum League? The woman seemed intrigued. "We do have discounts. But are you at all interested in competing?"

"Absolutely," Jason chimed in. "We were wondering about competing in Power Duo 61 as well."

"You could register for Power Duo 61," the woman spoke. "Or you can register for Power Duo 60."

"What do you mean?" Kristine was puzzled as was her brother. "I thought we're past the deadline."

"Technically, yes," the woman spoke. "Hold on one sec."

The woman reached her phone and appeared to call someone, presumably someone higher up the chain. Jason and Kristine looked at eachother with hopeful smiles.

A moment later, an individual in a black business suit walked out of the entrance to the stadium and approached the twins.

"Hello!" the man spoke. "My name is Chester. I'm the registration manager for the Power Duo. I hear you're both competing in the Inventum League?"

"Yep!" Kristine gave a nod.

"And you have at least one badge?"

Jason and Kristine both pulled out their cases, and presented their badges to Chester.

"Ah, so you both have the Mystic and Tranquility Badges!" Chester noticed the correlation, and he seemed very impressed. "You crossed the Nappalchan Mountains, didn't you? And the Mison?"

Jason and Kristine both nodded.

"You make for a good story," Chester smiled. "So here's the thing. About an hour ago, a team had to bow out of the tournament for personal reasons. While we understand these things happen, it can be an inconvenience for organizational purposes. Not only would a random team get a bye in the first round, that's one less match for our spectators. The tournament is just two days away, but would you be interested in competing?"

Jason and Kristine looked at eachother once more. They both had to come to a realization of the situation. They both nodded at eachother with confidence before facing Chester.

"We'll compete," Kristine spoke. "We're ready for this."

"I see the spark in your eyes, the both of you," Chester grinned. He faced the woman in the box office. "Laura, put 'em in, please."

"Absolutely!" Laura complied. "May I have your names?"

"Jason and Kristine Kyar," Jason spoke.

"My name is spelt with a k," Kristine added. "Last name is spelt K-y-a-r."

"Siblings, huh?" Chester asked.

"Twins," Jason corrected.

"A fine story, indeed," Chester snickered.

"Names match with your Inventum League registrations," Laura looked at a terminal screen. "Okay, you're in the tournament. Brackets will be uploaded later today."

"Wow," Kristine was taken back. "Thanks so much!"

"Yeah, thanks!" Jason added.

"Thank you!" Chester smiled. "My job is to monitor the structure of the tournament. If you need anything or have any concerns, let me know!"

"Will do!" Kristine gave a nod.

Chester then walked back inside the stadium.

"So here's a quick rundown," Laura spoke. "We have thirty two teams total, so there will be five rounds in six days. The tag battles are standard, four pokemon battles with each partner using two pokemon. Up to six Pokemon can be registered per player for the entire tournament. You will make your registrations tomorrow morning."

"I'm psyched!" Jason spoke excitedly.

"I can't believe we're actually going to do this!" Kristine added.

"You kids are free to go!" Laura smiled. "Good luck!"

"Thanks again!" Kristine expressed her gratitude.

Jason and Kristine left the stadium.

"So we're going to be competing in the Power Duo," Kristine spoke. "In two days!"

"We got this!" Jason remained confident. "We can do this!"

"We're going to do great!" Kristine replied. "Inventum will know of the Kyar twins when this is over!"

"Heck yeah!"

The twins proceeded past the stadium, and walked right by the Richland Port Gym. They realized that the gym was an extension of the stadium, and had a domed roof. It was red in color, and there was a painting of the legendary pokemon Groudon above the main entrance.

"Groudon, the sigil of Team Power," Jason mentioned. "I know Meeks has some tough Pokemon."

"He's had Raichu for decades," Kristine added. "And seeing Raichu while growing up, he looks like he's never missed a beat."

"Power," Jason sneered towards Kristine.

"Just wait until Pikachu goes against Raichu, Jason!" Kristine replied.

"Just wait until you evolve Pikachu into Raichu," Jason bantered.

"Oh, brother," Kristine rolled her eyes. "Well, I can't predict the future, so I'll let you have that one."

Jason and Kristine continued on. They passed the entertainment district and continued on to the neighboring park within the city. Many trainers and pokemon owners were out on the sunny day, training and playing with their Pokemon.

"Come on out, guys," Jason released all of his pokemon, and held Magikarp in his arms.

"You too, boys and girls!" Kristine did the same for her pokemon.

"Have fun, everyone!" Jason said, approaching a pond nearby to put Magikarp in.

Jason and Kristine's pokemon ran forth into the wide and vast park. The two then proceeded onto the War Memorial. It was gated away from the rest of the park, with two stone pillars marking the entrance. The left pillar resembled that of a weary soldier. He held a rifle in one hand, and a pokeball in the other. He also wore a helmet with the straps running down each side of his face.

The other pillar was that of a jolteon. The pokemon stood with nobility.

"Jolteon…" Jason stood there, looking at the statue.

"It's one thing to know about the War," Kristine said. "It's another thing to see the Memorial. I already have the chills. To even think that man and pokemon fought side by side in a war to the death?"

"It was the reality of our dark past," said a rugged voice behind the twins.

Jason and Kristine turned around to face a short man who was an inch shorter than Jason and just as tall as Kristine. He wore an olive green formal military uniform, and looked spectacular for 90, let alone being able to stand and walk independently. Professor Wall himself accompanied him, also in a military uniform.

"Jason and Kristine," Wall acknowledged. "You made it here."

"We did!" Kristine replied.

"Took us a few months to get through the Mountains," Jason added.

"Ah, the Mountains," Wall rubbed his chin, recollecting memories from long ago. "Going through it once is enough."

"You can say that again," Jason chuckled.

"I heard about what happened," Wall faced Jason. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I appreciate it," Jason said. "My sister and our pokemon played a large role in saving my life."

"I did what I could," Kristine added.

"It's a fortunate outcome to an unfortunate situation," Meeks chimed in. "Trainers do die in the Nappalchan Mountains."

He then walked over to the statue of the jolteon. "Do you know why old Jolteon here represents pokemon in the War Memorial?"

Jason and Kristine both shrugged.

"Because old Billy and old Jolteon here represent the standard combat infantry of the War," Meeks explained. "Jolteon was considered to be the standard infantry Pokemon for Inventum forces. When we fought to liberate Kalos, we saw that the invaders had the same idea. You'll never see more thunder stones mined and stored in your lives.

"Each squad had at least one jolteon. Great for a number of situations. Then you had specialized infantry as well as mechanized and armored battalions. Close quarters combat means you get machamp to do the job. Need to stop an armored assault? Rhydon and a line of dugtrio will get the job done. Need to raze an entire area? Get all the psychic pokemon you can find and order an artillery barrage, or you can get a few arcanine and just set everything ablaze. How about underwater mines off the coasts? Vaporeon, dragonair, and dewgong were trained to disarm them. We've even trained gyarados to destroy enemy vessels.

"Pokemon were trained for every aspect of warfare. We've come to find out that they're more sensitive to war than we are. We suffered many casualties liberating Kalos and saving the world from perhaps the greatest threat, far greater than crime syndicates such as Team Rocket or Team Flare."

"Once a year, Meeks and I pay respect to our fallen heroes, soldiers and pokemon alike," Wall added. "This is a reminder to us that we need to make sure the world doesn't turn to this savagery again."

"And this reminds me why I fought to disarm the entire world," Meeks said, crossing his arms while looking at the statues. "Come walk with us."

The twins were left speechless. They followed Wall and Meeks into the memorial. Inside, the memorial was split into two halves. The left side was for soldiers, and the right side was for pokemon. Both sides seemed to expand endlessly.

"Some of our soldiers and pokemon are buried in Kalos," Meeks spoke, leading the twins into the soldiers' half of the memorial.

Each soldier had a tombstone with their name engraved on it. It became disheartening to see how long the memorial extended.

"And to think these brave men died for the world we have today," Kristine softly spoke.

"We fought because a government organization took over an entire region, believing that pokemon were weapons of war. They invaded and occupied Kalos and threatened Unova. So Inventum had a surge of volunteers to fight this threat," Meeks explained. "We would set foot into Kalos and stop this use of combat Pokemon. Except that we also believed the only way to stop combat pokemon is with combat pokemon."

Meeks led the twins across the memorial to where the pokemon were buried.

"This was the result." Meeks stated, standing before an endless memorial for fallen pokemon. Like the soldiers, each one had a tombstone.

"This isn't right…" Jason became teary eyed. "Pokemon aren't meant for war."

"Our thoughts exactly," Wall chimed in. "The War is the single most terrible tragedy we ever inflicted on ourselves. We sought to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Kristine walked over to a row of tombstones, and realized that entire row was full of fallen jolteon.

"Thunder, Jolteon of First Platoon, Bravo Company, 34th Infantry Battalion."

"First Inventum Expeditionary Division," Meeks added. "The Landshakers. Their sigil was Groudon."

Kristine walked over to the next tombstone. "Fang, Jolteon of First Platoon, Bravo Company, 34th Infantry Battalion."

Then she walked over to the next one. "Jolt, Jolteon of Second Platoon, Bravo Company…"

And then the next one. "Eon Alpha, Jolteon of Second Platoon…"

"It was like they were all sent to die," Jason proceeded down the row. "Every single one of them. And their soldiers?"

"Bravo Company had it pretty badly," Meeks walked over to Jason. "The Battle of Snowbelle. It was the enemy's last move to push us back before they lost their grip on Kalos entirely."

"Badly?" Jason turned to Meeks.

"It was tough," Meeks responded. "I was one of the survivors."

"This Memorial was built here to make sure these brave men and pokemon's sacrifices will never be forgotten, nor would it go to waste," Wall added.

"It's better if we stop conflicting amongst eachother and start working together," Meeks said. "That's why I founded Team Power, inspired by The Landshakers."

"I was his right hand man, for a time," Wall said.

"Together, we got Inventum, and then the world, to stop using pokemon as military weapons," Meeks added. "Now the main purpose of having a military is for disaster relief and keeping an eye on illegal activities from criminal syndicates."

"You accomplished something that was thought impossible at the time," Kristine mentioned.

"Yes," Meeks nodded. "After the War, other regions, including Inventum and Kalos, wanted to become dominant military superpowers. They did so out of fear of other regions. I worked to eliminate this fear. Once regions stopped fearing others, there was no reason to stockpile ammunition and pokemon."

"You made sure these sacrifices counted for something…" Jason spoke.

"Everyone who is buried here fought for a better future," Meeks added. "I fought to keep it."

"They call Inventum the Land of the Brave," Kristine said. "Now I see why."

"It's good that you've come here," Wall replied. "The way our society functions now, the privileges you have as a trainer, is due to these brave men and pokemon."

"I just wish I can thank them," Jason said. "For what it's worth."

"Your presence is enough," Meeks replied. "Let's leave the memorial and discuss something else."

The twins followed Meeks and Wall towards the exit of the War Memorial. Both Jason and Kristine took one last look at the memorial before proceeding out.

"They gave us the freedom to become trainers," Kristine said to Jason.

"And we'll make the most of that opportunity," Jason replied with determination and confidence.

They then left the memorial, catching up to Wall and Meeks.

"So," Meeks spoke up. "The both of you will probably want to challenge me soon."

"You're right," Kristine affirmed. "But we just managed to register at the last possible second for the Power Duo."

"For this Power Duo?" Meeks seemed intrigued. "Someone must have dropped out."

"Someone did," Jason spoke. "A team dropped out due to an emergency or something, so we took their place."

"Hmm," Meeks replied. "Never checked the updates today. We've hosted Richland Port's Duo Circuit for more than five years now. If half of anything I heard about the two of you is true, you'll do well. But there are regulars in the tournament, many whom have defeated me and have the Power Badge."

"Let's not forget these two have the Mystic and Tranquility badges and traveled through the Mountains," Wall added. "How many trainers do you think have those badges in this tournament?"

Meeks rubbed his chin. "None."

"And how many have traveled through the Mountains?"

"None as well."

"I think the Power Duo will be introduced to a new breed of ruggedness," Wall smirked.

Meeks looked at the twins. "You may be right, Joe. But some teams like the Donnovan twins have more experience as duo partners."

"We may be trainers for only five months," Kristine spoke up. "But we've fought harder than most to get to where we are right now. And I've seen my brother put more heart into battling than anyone else."

"You're the one with the wits," Jason complimented.

"So what do you think of them?" Wall asked Meeks.

Meeks grinned. "I think we have some surprises in store."

Meeks remained silent for a moment. He looked back at the twins. "We'll be battling in a week's time. Go win the tournament first."

"Do you really think we can win it?" Kristine asked.

"Why not?" Meeks replied. "I see Jason over here, not saying a peep, and he looks like he's ready to win the whole thing."

"Sure am," Jason spoke with confidence.

"Well, as much as I like to think strategically, I've learned that sometimes, it's necessary to throw the odds out the door," Kristine added.

"So this is what I would do right now," Meeks glanced at his wristwatch. He then faced the twins once more. "Head back to the pokemon center and research, practice, and research some more. The brackets will be posted soon. Neither of you have been in a broadcasted tournament before, right?"

Jason and Kristine both shook their heads.

"It's going to feel different at first," Meeks cautioned. "You'll have cameras pointing at you. If you make it as far as the final round, well, that's a different story."

"We'll take care of the first four rounds before we worry about that," Kristine said.

"We'll be watching," Wall added.

"I have to study my future opponents, right?" Meeks chuckled. "Anyways, we'll be spending some more time here. Go knock 'em dead out there!"

"Will do!" Jason replied. "And thanks for showing us around the memorial."

"Sure thing," Meeks nodded.

"Nice meeting you!" Kristine waved goodbye.

Both Wall and Meeks proceeded back into the War Memorial. Jason and Kristine headed back into the public park, and tracked down and recalled all of their pokemon. They then walked back through the entertainment district of Richland Port, bypassing the Gym and the stadium before heading all the way to the Pokemon Center.

Kristine went to the terminal the moment they got back to their room. She accessed the extranet and logged onto the Power Duo brackets.

"Okay," Kristine examined. "They released the schedule."

"Who do we have?" Jason walked over stood right behind Kristine.

"Ben and Haley, bug catchers," Kristine said. She looked at the brackets, which displayed the faces of each participant. She looked where she and Jason were at. "Our faces are on the extranet. How did they get our faces?"

"Our pokedexs registered us for the Inventum League," Jason reminded her.

"We look so young," Kristine further examined her and Jason's pictures.

"It was close to half a year ago, sis," Jason snickered.

"So Ben and Haley…" Kristine decided to find information on her and her brother's competitors. "They entered the tournament four times. First round exits three times, and made it to the second round once."

"Their pokemon?" Jason asked.

Kristine brought up a page featuring Ben and Haley's past matches and Pokemon used.

"Bug Pokemon, mostly," Kristine observed. "So Ben's Pokemon are heavy hitters, like Scyther and Ariados, while Haley uses Butterfree and either Beautifly or Dustox as support."

"All bug pokemon," Jason crossed his arms and smirked. "I know exactly who to use against them."

"Oh?" Kristine faced Jason with a confident look. She knew which pokemon Jason was referring to. "Remember, we can use two pokemon each."

Jason maintained his stance. "Scyther, Butterfree, and Beautifly are flying types."

"Then I know exactly who to use," Kristine instantly believed she and Jason could get past the first round. "The same exact pokemon we used against Justin and Fiona."

"We use Swellow and Fletchinder first with Jolteon and Pikachu in reserve," Jason added.

"I like that plan," Kristine smiled. "We can train tonight and tomorrow, and we should be ready for the Power Duo."

"Richland Port will know our names when it's all said and done," Jason spoke.

Kristine looked at her brother. "I thought you don't like being at the center of the spotlight."

"I don't," Jason said. "But I want to be the best out there, and it comes with the territory. I can manage."

"You're a good man, Jason," Kristine replied. She turned around to face the terminal, and went to the main page of the tournament.

"Cash prizes are huge," she continued. "First place is $10,000. Second place is $5,000. Semi finalists are $2,000, and quarter finalists are $1,000."

"For us two trainers, what on earth can we do with that money?" Jason was curious.

"Fresh clothes and supplies I guess," Kristine replied. "We can always send the money back home to Mom, too."

"She did talk about replacing the screen door and fixing the squeak on the fifth step of the staircase," Jason added.

"So this is how trainers make money," Jason realized.

"As long as you keep winning, anyways," Kristine added.

"No need to worry about that," Jason grinned. "Because we're going to win, and we're going to go all the way."


	24. From the Mountains to the Coast

Jason and Kristine stood within a hallway of Richland Port's pokemon stadium. It was the day of their first round match, and they were scheduled on the kickoff day of Power Duo 60. They were to be battling in the fifth of eight matches, which were running each hour on the hour all day.

They spent the previous day training with all of their pokemon, priming everyone, including Magikarp, for tag battle scenarios. They've registered all of their pokemon for the tournament, and registered their pokemon for the round one match.

Jason leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed, while Kristine paced back and forth.

"We got this," Kristine reassured herself. "We got this."

"We got this," Jason remained confident.

Kristine stopped and looked at Jason. "Surely you're nervous too."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Jason replied. "This is our first ever tournament match. But at least we're doing this as a team."

Kristine smiled. "Right. We totally got this!"

"Hey," Jason added, and stood straight. "We play just like we practiced, and we will win."

"Gotcha," Kristine gave a nod at Jason.

An events coordinator soon walked into the hallway, and approached Jason and Kristine. She had blonde hair tied in a ponytail. She wore all black, and she appeared to have an earpiece for communication purposes.

"They're just getting started," the woman said. "Once the PA announcer calls your names, step right out."

Both Jason and Kristine nodded at the woman.

"Good luck out there!" the woman smiled as she walked away.

A moment later, Jason heard what he thought were hundreds of cheering fans in the stadium.

"That sounds like a lot of people out there," Jason spoke nervously.

"The stadium's not packed if that makes you feel any better," Kristine spoke calmly.

"Doesn't take away that there's at least a few thousand watching us, if not more," Jason continued. "And no one knows who we really are."

"Simple solution," Kristine smiled. "Pretend they don't exist."

"Pretend they don't exist," Jason muttered. "Got it."

"And now, our fifth match is underway!" the PA announcer could be clearly heard.

"That's us," Kristine said before she took a deep breath.

"Ben and Haley have been struggling to maintain a foothold in the Duo Circuits since they started to appear four months ago. Can they break through the first round this time and go way beyond? Your bug pokemon specialists and bug catcher partners, Ben and Haley!"

Jason and Kristine heard a round of cheers and applause from the audience.

"It sounds like they have quite a bit of support," Jason noted.

"I'm assuming everyone here does to one degree or another," Kristine added. "These are east coast natives. Some of them have been competing not just in this tournament, but a number of others for quite some time. We, on the other hand, are a couple of no name trainers as far as everyone is concerned."

Jason faced the entrance to the battlefield with fiery determination. "Until today."

Kristine smirked. "Until today."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, turn your attention to the other side," the PA announcer continued. "Straight from the mountain regions of Inventum are a pair of twins who got into the Power Duo by a stroke of luck! Do they have what it takes to compete far away from home? Newcomers to the tournament, Jason and Kristine Kyar!"

"Let's do it!" Kristine spoke. She and Jason each took a deep breath before proceeding into the battlefield.

They quickly found themselves surrounded by thousands of spectators occupying the lower bowl. Some of them whistled and clapped, while others booed.

"Any trainer deserves a fair shot!" yelled one spectator within earshot of the twins. "Let's see if you can do it!"

"Go back to the mountains!" yelled a more close-minded fan. "The East Coast is for real trainers!"

"What the heck does he mean by that?" Jason began to look in that spectator's direction.

"Don't," Kristine quickly and sternly spoke. "Ignore him."

"Right," Jason took another deep breath.

They approached the center of the field, where Ben and Haley awaited them. They both wore ballcaps with the sigil of a beedrill front and center. Ben appeared to be in his late teens, and wore a white t-shirt and baggy shorts. Haley appeared to be two years younger than Ben, had short, red hair, and had freckles on her cheeks. She wore a green tank top with olive green baggy cargo shorts.

The twins could hear chants from at least a dozen fans of Ben and Haley to their left, all wearing the same ballcaps.

"Go Ben and Haley! Go Team Sting!" the group chanted.

Jason and Kristine stood within feet of Ben and Haley.

"Hi!" Haley greeted. "Welcome to Richland Port!"

"Thanks!" Kristine responded. "So what's Team Sting?"

"It's a club for bug pokemon enthusiasts," Ben responded. "We have chapters up and down the east coast. If you or anyone you know loves bug pokemon, send them our way!"

"Noted," Jason gave a nod.

The referee approached the two teams.

"This is a tag battle match with two starting pokemon and two reserve pokemon for each side," the referee informed. "The battle is continuous when one Pokemon goes down. It is over when the reserves of one side are completely depleted. I want a good, clean match from all of you. Are we clear?"

"Got it!" everyone complied at the same time.

"Ben and Haley make the first calls," the referee continued. "Jason and Kristine make the first moves."

The referee then walked away, taking position at his box within the center edge of the battlefield.

"Good luck!" Kristine waved as she and Jason began to depart.

"Yeah, you too!" Haley waved back.

"Well, they seem real nice," Kristine nearly muttered to Jason.

"They seem like nice people," Jason replied. "And I like nice people, but it's almost as if they don't care if they win or lose."

"You really think so?" Kristine looked at Jason.

Jason nodded. "They tried to recruit us to their club."

"Well, you may be right," Kristine took position alongside her brother, and faced Ben and Haley on the far side of the field. "I want to win, just like you do, bro!"

Jason looked around to see cheering fans surrounding him on all sides. He had to do what Kristine mentioned a few moments ago, and pretend they didn't exist. So he closed his eyes, zoning out everyone around him. He reopened them with determination. The only people he could see were Kristine, and Ben and Haley on the other side. He was ready to win.

"Let's do this!" Jason spoke with confidence.

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared.

"Scyther, let's go!" Ben called forth Scyther.

"Fly, fly, Butterfree!" Haley called forth Butterfree.

Jason and Kristine looked at eachother, and gave a nod. They then faced their opponents.

"Let's go, Swellow!" Jason summoned.

"Showtime, Fletchinder!" Kristine brought out Fletchinder.

"Swellow!" Swellow hopped forward.

"Fletch!" Fletchinder did the same.

"To the sky!" the twins called at the same time.

Both Swellow and Fletchinder soared into the open sky.

"Jason and Kristine start off by sending their flying pokemon high in the sky," the PA announcer spoke. "It's like they planned for this!"

"Scyther, use Agility and get up there!" Ben commanded.

"Stay behind Scyther, Butterfree!" Haley added.

Scyther used his wings and speed to guide himself towards Swellow and Fletchinder, while Butterfree was in tow.

"Jason, if you keep Fletchinder protected, we can knock Scyther and Butterfree out like no one's business!" Kristine said.

"Do it!" Jason knew what she was talking about.

"Fletchinder, use Razor Wind!" Kristine commanded.

"Fletch!" Fletchinder began flapping his wings, charging up a powerful attack.

"Scyther, use Fury Cutter on Fletchinder!" Ben yelled.

"Scyther!" Scyther flew right at Fletchinder.

"Swellow, intercept with Quick Attack!" Jason responded.

Swellow dove down on Scyther, striking him before he could reach Fletchinder. Scyther began freefalling back to the floor.

"Butterfree, Psybeam!" Haley yelled.

Butterfree emitted telekinetic energy from her eyes with the intention of hitting Swellow.

"Dodge it!" Jason yelled.

Swellow swerved away from Butterfree's Psybeam.

"Use Butterfree to drop Sleep Powder on them!" Ben suggested to Haley.

"Right!" Haley agreed. "Butterfree, use Sleep Powder on Fletchinder and Swellow!"

"Free!" Butterfree flapped her wings, projecting a bluish spore towards Swellow and Fletchinder.

"Supersonic! Give me all you got!" Jason commanded.

"Swellow!" Swellow began to emit a supersonic blast. It was so powerful that it blew apart the sleep powder. The attack sent Butterfree in a daze as she tumbled down to the ground.

"Scyther, use Quick Attack!" Ben issued.

Scyther began to charge up to Fletchinder once more.

"Intercept!" Jason yelled.

"No need!" Kristine spoke. "Fletchinder, unleash Razor Wind!"

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder unleashed a powerful wind of kinetic energy at Butterfree and Scyther. The wind not only struck them, it overpowered them, slamming them back on the ground in a matter of seconds.

"Wing Attack!" the twins followed up at the same time.

Swellow and Fletchinder dove down on Scyther and Butterfree with glowing wings, striking them head on. Both Pokemon tumbled over and over, suffering a direct super-effective hit. It became clear that they were both down and out, unable to continue.

"Both Scyther and Butterfree are unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"A double knockout!" the PA announcer briefed. "What an amazing display of teamwork by Jason and Kristine!"

"Good job, sis!" Jason threw his closed fist in the air, celebrating from the sense of accomplishment.

"That was awesome!" Kristine cheered.

"It was," Jason gave a nod. "But we're not out of this, yet!"

Ben and Haley looked at each other briefly. They then pulled out their final pokeballs, and brought forth their reserves.

"Ariados, turn this around!" Ben yelled.

"You too, Dustox!" Haley added.

"Ar! Ariados!" the large spider pokemon hissed.

"Dustox!" the giant moth pokemon greeted.

"Dustox, use Poison Powder on Swellow and Fletchinder!" Haley commanded.

"Ariados, use Shadow Sneak on Fletchinder!" Ben added.

"Dodge it!" Kristine yelled.

"You can't," Jason spoke.

"What do you mean?" Kristine asked.

As Dustox unleashed a purple mist high in the air, Ariados projected a shadow of herself. The shadow placed itself directly underneath Fletchinder before pouncing with dark energy. Fletchinder was struck by the sudden and subtle move right in the sky, and came tumbling down.

"Fletchinder!" Kristine yelled. "Recover and use Ember on Ariados!"

"Fletch!" Fletchinder managed to regain control and stopped himself from crashing to the ground. He then spat out a ball of flame at Ariados.

"We'll end this here and now!" Jason spoke. "Swellow, through Poison Powder!"

"Swellow!" Swellow flew right through Dustox's Poison Powder.

"You're triggering Swellow's special ability, Guts," Kristine said to Jason.

"Swellow can take the hit," Jason crossed his arms with determination. "She's tough. She can do it."

He looked right at Swellow. "Aerial Ace on Ariados! Let's go!"

Fletchinder's Ember struck Ariados. The bug pokemon had a tough time enduring the attack, and struggled to get up. When Swellow swooped down with a powerful aerial attack, that sent Ariados flying across the battlefield. She landed right before Ben and Haley, unable to get up.

"No! Ariados!" Ben placed both hands over his forehead in disbelief.

"Ariados is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"Dustox, Silver Wind!" Haley ordered.

"Dustox!" Dustox flapped his wings, projecting a silvery wind right at Swellow.

"Dodge it!" Jason commanded.

"Swellow!" Swellow flew straight into the air, avoiding Silver Wind.

"Ember, Fletchinder!" Kristine called.

Fletchinder fired another ball of flame, this time directed at Dustox.

"Light Screen!" Haley yelled.

Dustox projected a screen in front of himself that deflected the brunt of the attack.

"Quick Attack, Swellow!" Jason issued.

"Wing Attack, Fletchinder!" Kristine added.

Swellow and Fletchinder charged at Dustox from two different directions. Dustox looked around, seeing that he was unable to avoid the onslaught. He was struck by Fletchinder, soaring high into the air, before being hit by Swellow's Quick Attack. Dustox then hit the ground forcefully, unable to continue.

"Dustox is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Jason and Kristine are the winners!"

"Jason and Kristine are able to sweep just like that!" the PA announcer even seemed surprised. "Another tough break for Ben and Haley! Folks, we have another pair of twins we should be keeping an eye on here!"

"Alright!" Kristine cheered.

"Yeah!" Jason held his fists in the air.

The two then approached each other and gave one another a high five.

"Return, Dustox…" Haley recalled Dustox before letting out a sigh.

"Out in the first round again!" Ben looked down briefly. He looked over at Haley with confidence. "One day, Haley!"

Haley smiled, remaining upbeat. "One day!"

"Let's hand it to these two," Ben looked at Jason and Kristine. "No one beat us like they did. They're a force to be reckoned with."

 _Take a look at that,_ Yenela Kreea sat at the scorer's table towards the center of the floor, right behind the referee. _These kids come out of nowhere, and handle Team Sting like it's routine practice. Looks like I have something interesting to report, after all._

* * *

As dusk settled in, the twins were in their room at the Pokemon Center. They sat side by side on the couch, watching the Inventum Pokemon Sports Network.

"Day One of the Power Duo 60 has come to a close," Tom, the anchorman, announced as he jumped right into the subject. "While the Donnovan Twins, who are the heavy favorites to win it all, play tomorrow, we do have some great highlights to cover today."

The screen switched to the very stadium Jason and Kristine battled in.

"We're going to be on TV," Kristine was certain.

"The way we played today, we have to be," Jason added.

"First match had the Willis Sisters against swim team partners Rey and Lezel. Weepinbell and Luxio were able to sweep it for the sisters, taking down all four water pokemon on Rey and Lezel's side!"

The twins saw the highlights of the match.

"They made short work of that team," Jason noted.

"They're siblings too," Kristine added.

"They had Weepinbell just paralyze everyone while Luxio zapped them," Jason mentioned.

The highlights covered the second and third matches. The twins thought they would get their fifteen seconds of fame as the anchorman briefly ran down the highlights match by match.

Then, after the fourth match, Tom skipped to the sixth match.

"Hey, what gives?" Jason stood right up with his hands out in frustration.

Kristine crossed her arms, clearly annoyed. "That's not cool."

"Probably because we're just two kids from the mountains," Jason shook his head.

"Why would they discriminate against us like that?" Kristine looked at Jason.

Jason shrugged. "Because we came out of nowhere and swept a local team, I guess."

"Water pokemon conservationists Joe and Brie managed to pull it off and move on to the second round," Tom continued on.

"Those are our next opponents," Kristine said. "He didn't even mention us."

Jason sat back down in a frustrated mood.

Tom went on to cover the last two matches of the night. The twins were so fed up that they didn't even pay attention to the highlights.

"Folks, in case you're wondering why we skipped the highlights of the fifth battle, well we saved it for last," Tom added. A picture then appeared to his right, displaying a still image of Jason and Kristine exchanging high fives following their victory against Ben and Haley.

The twins ate their own words, and calmed down.

"Oh," Jason loosened his stance.

"Well then," Kristine did the same.

"Enter Jason and Kristine Kyar, a pair of twins from Mountain Spring, deep within the mountain regions of Inventum, just south of the Cheron Forest and not too far from Fort Lexing," Tom continued. "They filled in for a team that had to drop out for personal issues. No one knew who they are, or where they came from, until today."

The screen cut to highlights of Jason and Kristine's match.

"The Kyar Twins played Ben and Haley, well-esteemed members of Team Sting," Tom continued. "The match starts off with Jason's Swellow and Kristine's Fletchinder against Ben's Scyther and Haley's Butterfree. The initial confrontation lasted mere minutes, with Swellow and Fletchinder knocking out Scyther and Butterfree at the same time with good coordination and teamwork."

The twins saw their battle unfold, and how quick it was to score the first two knockouts.

"Ben and Haley responded with Ariados and Dustox," Tom added. "The Kyar Twins stuck with Swellow and Fletchinder on the field, and ended the match promptly after taking out Ariados and then Dustox."

"We really nailed it, didn't we?" Kristine turned to Jason.

"All that practice really paid off," Jason replied.

"Our very own Yenela Kreea interviewed Ben and Haley after the match to get their insights on the battle," Tom continued. "Here is what they have to say."

The screen switched over to Yenela standing beside Ben and Haley, holding a microphone.

"Ben and Haley, you guys have another first round exit here in the Power Duo," Yenela started off. "What do you believe you need to do in order to get further into future tournaments?"

Yenela pointed the microphone to Ben and Haley. They both couldn't muster an initial response. They shrugged before chuckling.

"I just think we ran across a really tough team this time around," Haley responded.

"Yeah," Ben added with a nod. "A really tough team. We had some tough breaks in the past, not winning close matches. We were working on our ability to close out, but this time around, our opponents gave us the most one-sided defeat ever. This is a new breed of tag battle partners, and honestly, I think the top teams in this tournament will be on a run for their money if they face Jason and Kristine."

Haley nodded. "I'll agree with that."

"So you commend your opponents?" Yenela asked.

"Absolutely!" Ben responded.

"They were nice too," Haley added. "Never mind what they say about mountain trainers versus east coast trainers. They were really good."

"Ben, Haley, thanks for sharing your insights," Yenela closed. "This is Yenela Kreea, reporting from Richland Stadium."

"Yenela will be covering the entire tournament," Tom stated. "The Kyar Twins' next match is against water pokemon conservationists Joe and Brie. You can catch that on the extranet during day three of Power Duo 60. Up next: Richland's very own twins Dan and Dave kick off tomorrow's round of matches. What are they doing differently to prepare? Stay tuned to find out!"

"We were on IPSN," Kristine was in near disbelief. She faced Jason excitedly. "We were on IPSN, Jason!"

Kristine briefly gave Jason a hug.

Jason hugged his sister back. "Then we'd best get comfortable, because it's the first of many appearances."

* * *

The twins spent the next day preparing for the next round. As the other half of first round contestants competed, Jason and Kristine trained and researched.

"Joe and Brie…" Kristine searched through the extranet in the afternoon, with Jason right behind her.

"All of their water pokemon are rescued," Jason read. "They have six pokemon registered each."

"And they're all water types," Kristine added.

"Then we use Jolteon and Pikachu," Jason suggested.

"A fair assumption," Kristine acknowledged. "Except Joe has Quagsire, which is a ground and water type. Ground types are immune to electric attacks."

"Is Quagsire the only such pokemon?"

Kristine observed the rest of Joe's pokemon. "Poliwhirl, Prinplup, Seel, Krabby, Psyduck. Yeah."

"Then we should stick to Jolteon and Pikachu," Jason maintained his stance. "I say we keep Kirlia and Espeon as reserves. I don't think we need to switch it up because Joe may or may not use Quagsire. There's still three other Pokemon who are weak to electric attacks."

"You make a sound point," Kristine replied. "So, what do you think about tomorrow's match?"

Jason smirked. "Let's play the way we did in the first round, and we got this."

The next afternoon, Jason and Kristine stood at the hallway leading into the battle field. Jason stretched his arms and legs, while Kristine hopped vertically, warming up for the next battle.

"Should be almost three o'clock," Jason mentioned.

"We got this," Kristine spoke, motivating herself as well as her brother. "We got this."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third match of the day!" the PA announcer addressed a crowd of over 10,000 people. The cheering and rumbling seemed louder than the other day, the twins thought.

"New fans, perhaps?" Kristine stood in place.

"Maybe," Jason replied. "Or maybe this is when things get more interesting."

"On one side of the field, you have Richland Port's favorite water pokemon conservationists, Joe and Brie!"

The fans cheered for the arrival of Joe and Brie.

"Or maybe they just love Joe and Brie," Kristine added. "They helped save over several hundred water pokemon combined in their careers."

"On the other end," the announcer continued.

"Here we go," Kristine spoke before taking a deep breath.

"They've come from the mountains to the coast, showing Richland Port they are capable trainers. Was it a fluke, or are they for real? Twins Jason and Kristine Kyar!"

"Let's do it!" Jason got pumped up.

The twins walked out into the battle floor. There, they saw an adult man and woman standing at the center of the field. Joe had brown spiky hair and glasses, and wore a navy t-shirt and baggy cargo shorts of the same color. Brie also wore glasses and had short darker brown hair. She wore a navy blue tank top, as well as the same type of pants as Joe.

While approaching Joe and Brie, Jason and Kristine were met by boos from the audience.

Kristine smiled. "Jason, we're villains."

"From the mountains to the coast, threatening to win it all," Jason lightly laughed.

The twins stood face to face with Joe and Brie.

"Team Harmony wrote a cute little blog entry about how you saved Machop in Darklight Cavern," Brie spoke in a Kalosian accent. "And he's registered in Kristine's lineup, is he not?"

"He is," Kristine confirmed. "Been doing research on us, huh?"

Joe nodded. "You came out of nowhere. In some people's perspectives, you literally came out of nowhere."

"But we did not," Jason spoke up. "We shed blood, sweat, and tears getting through the Nappalchan Mountains to get to where we are."

Joe smiled. "I don't doubt it one bit. We would love to see more of that kind of resolve in our workforce. Truly."

"Now, our pokemon crave competition," Brie added. "Let us dance, shall we?"

The referee walked over. "Let's make this a clean match," he spoke. "Joe and Brie will make the first calls. Jason and Kristine will make the first moves."

Everyone acknowledged the rules and took to their positions.

"The battle may begin!" the referee declared a moment later.

"Go, Poliwhirl!" Joe threw out his first Pokeball.

"Go, Slowbro!" Brie did the same.

"Poliwhirl!" the rounded water pokemon with arms and legs greeted. His stomach had a hypnotic spiral line inside a while center.

"Slowbro," Slowbro slowly greeted. The pink creature stood up, and had another pokemon attached to the back of its tail. It was often taught in children's books that a slowpoke evolved into slowbro when a shellder bites its tail. Slowpoke would then take a more capable form, while the entire body of shellder would evolve as well.

"Time to zap 'em," Jason said to Kristine.

They both primed their pokeballs.

"Jolteon, let's go!" Jason brought forth Jolteon.

"Pikachu, showtime!" Kristine summoned Pikachu.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu greeted.

"Focus on Slowbro!" Jason suggested.

Kristine nodded.

"Thunder Shock Slowbro!" the twins commanded at the same time.

Jolteon and Pikachu both emitted electric energy at Slowbro.

"Disable Jolteon!" Brie called.

"Slowbro!" Slowbro emitted a blue glow around his body. Jolteon's thundershock suddenly evaporated, and his body also glowed blue.

"Bubblebeam to shield Slowbro, let's go!" Joe quickly called.

"Poliwhirl!" Poliwhirl shot out a powerful stream of bubbles that met Pikachu's Thunder Shock head on. Thunder Shock exploded into electrical currents.

"A well-played defense by Joe and Brie to start off the match!" the announcer spoke.

"Jolteon, Thunder Fang on Slowbro!" Jason followed up.

"Quick Attack, Pikachu!" Kristine added.

"Let's close in on 'em!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon and Pikachu charged towards Poliwhirl and Slowbro.

"Use Confusion on Jolteon!" Brie commanded to Slowbro.

"Slowbro," Slowbro's eyes glowed.

Jolteon was soon thrown into the air through Slowbro's telekinesis.

"Pin Missile, now!" Jason ordered.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball on Slowbro!" Kristine quickly issued.

"Bubble Beam on Pikachu!" Joe responded.

Jolteon fired a volley of pins from his coat, aimed right at Slowbro.

"Slam him down, quickly!" Brie issued.

Slowbro used psychic energy to slam Jolteon back to the ground, but Jolteon's volley of pins struck him seconds later, and so did Pikachu's Electro Ball. Pikachu's attack alone flipped Slowbro over once before slamming on his stomach.

Meanwhile, Poliwhirl's Bubblebeam came straight at Pikachu.

"Double Team!" Kristine yelled.

Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself. Bubblebeam went right through several of them, a clear sign that Pikachu himself managed to escape.

"Poliwhirl, use Body Slam on Jolteon!" Joe commanded.

"Poliwhirl!" Poliwhirl ran at Jolteon.

Jolteon got up dazed and confused.

"Ah, great," Jason noticed. "Jolteon's confused."

"We'll cover for him!" Kristine announced. "Pikachu, Quick Attack on Poliwhirl!"

"Pika pika pika!" Pikachu ran as fast as he could at Poliwhirl.

Jolteon was unable to regain his awareness in time for Poliwhirl to jump up into the air, preparing for a powerful Body Slam attack. Just then, Pikachu blindsided him in midair. Poliwhirl slammed to the ground and rolled over, slow to get back up.

"A great call by Kristine to get Pikachu to protect Jolteon!" the PA announcer spoke.

"Thunder Shock!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu emitted a bolt of electric energy at Poliwhirl.

"Slowbro, Disable!" Brie yelled.

Suddenly, Pikachu's Thunder Shock evaporated, adverting the potentially significant impact on Poliwhirl.

"Water Pulse on Jolteon!" Brie followed up.

"Poliwhirl, get Pikachu away from Jolteon!" Joe yelled. "Use Double Slap!"

Poliwhirl closed in on Pikachu, throwing rapid slaps while Pikachu dodged left and right.

"Double Team!" Kristine called.

While Pikachu created false copies of himself, Slowbro spat out a stream of water that morphed into a whirlpool, and it came straight for Jolteon.

Poliwhirl managed to rapidly slap all of Pikachu's copies. Just then, Pikachu was running toward Jolteon.

"Electro Ball Water Pulse!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika-chu!" Pikachu hurled a ball of electric energy from his tail, striking the whirlpool head on. The bolt exploded with the whirlpool, sending a mist of rain across much of the field.

"A spectacular display!" the PA announcer commended. "Kristine and Pikachu are doing everything they can to protect Jolteon!"

Jolteon finally came to his senses.

"Poliwhirl, Bubblebeam!" Joe issued.

"Pin Missile, Jolteon!" Jason responded.

"Pikachu, run right through and Quick Attack Slowbro!" Kristine followed up with her calls.

Jolteon's pins struck and popped the incoming Bubblebeam.

"Now charge in with Thunder Fang!" Jason followed up.

Jolteon charged at Poliwhirl. At the same time, just as Pikachu closed in on Slowbro, Brie let out a smirk.

"Disable, Slowbro!" she called.

Pikachu was suddenly stopped in his tracks. Slowbro effectively disabled his attack through telekinetic energy.

"Now Confusion!" Brie followed up.

"Electro Ball!" Kristine quickly yelled.

Just as Pikachu hovered into the air, he quickly flipped forward and fired off Electro Ball, striking Slowbro head on. Meanwhile, Jolteon closed in on Poliwhirl, who was unable to dodge Thunder Fang.

Slowbro was sent flying back from the Electro Ball attack as Pikachu landed on the ground safely. Jolteon grabbed Poliwhirl's arm, zapping him with powerful electric currents. Slowbro fell on his back, unable to get up, while Poliwhirl fell onto his knees and then on his stomach.

"Both Poliwhirl and Slowbro are unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"Alright!" Kristine cheered.

"Excellent job, Kristine!" Jason commended his sister. "That was awesome."

Kristine smiled. "I try."

"A double K.O.!" the announcer seemed surprised just as everyone else.

A round of boos could be heard around the stadium. Yenela stood there, at the scorer's table, observing the twins.

 _Round one wasn't just a fluke,_ she thought. _These kids are for real. And I think they'll make a great story if they can make it far. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but if I can make Inventum remember these kids, then that'll make me one of the most valued reporters around. Gosh, I hope they don't screw this match up._

"They're tough," Joe said to Brie.

"You got that right," Brie primed her second pokeball.

Joe did the same. "Alright. Prinplup, let's go!"

"You too, Lombre!" Brie yelled.

"Prinplup!" the penguin pokemon crossed his arms and stared down Jolteon and Pikachu.

"Lombre!" the jolly water and grass pokemon with a lily on its head greeted.

"Bubblebeam!" Joe and Brie called at the same time.

Prinplup and Lombre both fired off bubblebeam at Jolteon and Pikachu.

"Pin Missile the bubbles!" Jason responded.

"Thunder Shock the bubbles, Pikachu!" Kristine added.

Jolteon and Pikachu managed to stop and explode the bubbles with their attacks.

"Close in with Fury Swipes, Lombre!" Brie followed up.

"Go in with Fury Attack, Prinplup!" Joe added.

Prinplup and Lombre charged at Jolteon and Pikachu.

"Thunder Fang on Prinplup, Jolteon!" Jason yelled.

"Quick Attack on Lombre, Pikachu!" Kristine added.

Jolteon and Pikachu charged at Prinplup and Lombre head on. They managed to stop Prinplup and Lombre's attacks As Jolteon grabbed Prinplup's arm with electric energy, Pikachu ran at Lombre and struck his stomach using Quick Attack.

"Now Thunder Shock!" Jason followed up.

"Electro Ball Lombre!" Kristine commanded.

Jolteon emitted electric energy at close quarters, zapping Prinplup. Pikachu fired off Electro Ball at Lombre, striking him and sending him flying back.

Prinplup fell to the ground, unable to get up.

"Prinplup is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"We got this!" Jason yelled. "Let's finish this!"

Lombre was slow to get up.

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Kristine yelled.

"You too, Jolteon!" Jason added.

Both Jolteon and Pikachu zapped Lombre into submission. He fell to the ground, unable to continue.

"Lombre is unable to continue!" the referee announced. "Jason and Kristine are the winners!"

"Heck yeah!" Kristine cheered. She and Jason walked over to each other and exchanged a high five.

The audience erupted into another round of boos.

"Unbelievable!" the announcer addressed. "Jason and Kristine have yet to have a pokemon go down in the tournament! Once they took the momentum, it went quickly downhill for Joe and Brie! These twins may be serious contenders, after all!"

"Bingo," Yenela saw an opportunity to capitalize on the twins. She turned to her cameraman. "Let's catch 'em before they leave."

* * *

Jason and Kristine winded down at the green room of the stadium after their victory.

"You were excellent out there, having Pikachu protect Jolteon like that," Jason complimented.

"Gotta protect my bro and his Jolteon," Kristine smiled. "You guys can take out anyone."

"Wonder who we get to play next," Jason contemplated.

"It's either the archaeologists or the two goth girls, right?" Kristine recalled.

"Something like that," Jason said. "They're in the next match. Wanna go check them out?"

Kristine shrugged. "Might as well."

The twins walked out of the green room, only to be met by a female reporter with blonde hair and glasses, and a cameraman standing right behind her.

"Yenela Kreea, IPSN reporter," Yenela introduced herself. "Can I have a moment of your time?"

"Uh," Jason was caught off guard.

"Sure!" Kristine immediately responded.

"Good," Yenela smiled, and stood by the twins. "Get us all in there, Marco," she told the cameraman.

"You're in focus," Marco responded. "Okay, ready, and rolling."

"I managed to catch up to Jason and Kristine Kyar as they were leaving the stadium," Yenela started off. "Jason and Kristine, you've traveled from a small town called Mountain Spring, in the middle of the mountain regions of Inventum. You're both trainers, getting the Mystic and Tranquility badges before trekking through the Nappalchan Mountains. Would it be fair for fans to say that you came out of nowhere for the Power Duo?"

"I guess if you're a fan of the Power Duo and closely follow some of the regular teams," Kristine initially replied. "In a sense, we came out of nowhere."

"But we didn't," Jason spoke up.

Kristine nodded in agreement.

"The Nappalchan Mountains are 825 miles long," Jason continued. "We've trained so hard and worked so hard just to get through them. I almost died, and I would have if it weren't for my sister and all of our pokemon."

Kristine blushed at that moment.

"It's true," Jason continued on. "Kristine played amazing today. It's attributed to our hard work and effort getting from the mountains to the coast, and it's great to see it all pay off."

"That's some really deep insight, Jason," Yenela was taken back. "What are your thoughts on the competition so far?"

"It's interesting to say the least," Jason spoke.

"As in?" Yenela asked.

"We've played against type specialists," Jason elaborated. "Our opponents knew very well how to play with that."

"And I think that's something Jason and I could both respect," Kristine added.

"You've made short work of your opponents and yet you show respect for them," Yenela mentioned.

"Why not?" Jason shrugged. "Whether it's a close battle or a one sided one, I'll always respect my opponents."

"Same here," Kristine added. "We were taught good sportsmanship, and it stuck to us like glue in our travels."

"Very mature comments coming from the both of you," Yenela remarked. "I think the fans here will at least appreciate that. Thank you for your time."

"Yeah, no problem!" Kristine smiled.

"And there you have it, folks," Yenela closed. "From the mountains to the coast, here are Jason and Kristine Kyar. They're here, and they're serious about winning it all. This is Yenela Kreea, reporting from Richland Stadium."

"And that's a wrap," Marco said.

"That's going to be great!" Yenela spoke. She shook Jason and Kristine's hands. "Thank you very much for the interview."

"Sure thing," Jason gave a nod.

"Just do me a favor and make it to the finals!" Yenela added before taking off with her cameraman.

"Jason," Kristine spoke. "We're going to be on TV."

"I'm not sure what to think of that," Jason responded. "You think I did well?"

"You spoke with passion," Kristine answered.

"Whatever the fans think, we didn't come out of nowhere," Jason spoke. "We're trainers in the Inventum League, just like everyone else in the tournament. We just don't live on the coast."

"Absolutely," Kristine smiled and nodded. "Shall we watch the next battle?"

"For sure!" Jason replied.

The two proceeded onto the atrium, where they were able to spectate the next game without attracting too much attention. They both knew, however, that would change by nightfall, for better or for worse.


	25. Serious Contenders

"From the mountains to the coast, they're here and they're serious about winning it all. Here are Jason and Kristine Kyar!" the PA announcer introduced the twins.

It was the quarterfinals and day four of the Power Duo. Jason and Kristine were set for the second match of the day, playing against two archaeologists who were known for their fossilized pokemon, as well as their fighting duo, Throh and Sawk.

The first two matches went really well for the twins. This time, they were thrown for what they treated as a curveball; they walked out to the floor first. That meant that they make the first calls.

They walked out, being met by cheers across the audience.

"I guess our interview paid off," Kristine said to Jason.

"Yep," Jason agreed.

The two proceeded to the center of the battle floor. There were thousands of spectators filling out the entire lower bowl.

"They've been around the world," the PA announcer continued, introducing the twins' opponents. "They've uncovered fossils and artifacts alike dating back eons! From Raley City, here are Harrison and Steve!"

Two men walked out from the other side as the crowd cheered loudly. One man had pitch-black hair, while the other one had light brown hair. They appeared to be in their 30s, both wearing khaki shorts and white shirts with tan vests.

"They've used Throh and Sawk the first two rounds," Kristine said to Jason. "But we're going to make the first calls."

"We meet them head on," Jason said.

"Are you sure?" Kristine continued to look ahead as Harrison and Steve approached closer.

"What else can we do?" Jason remained confident.

"We've had excellent counters in the first two rounds," Kristine mentioned.

Jason smirked. "Let's try this my way. We fight them head on. They don't have a choice. They know we have Kirlia and Espeon registered for this match."

Kristine also smirked. "Alright, bro. Head on. Riolu and Machop will be stoked."

Harrison and Steve walked up to the twins.

"Looks like we got a couple young adventurers on our hands," Harrison spoke.

"Yes we do," Steve added. "Jason and Kristine, I heard about your father. Let me express my condolences. The community of explorers and archaeologists lost a good man that day."

"Thank you," Jason acknowledged.

"Now let's have some fun, shall we?" Harrison grinned.

The referee walked over to the two opposing sides. "I want a good, clean match as usual," he requested. "You all ready?"

Everyone nodded towards the referee.

"Then take to your sides."

Jason and Kristine took to their side of the field.

"How are we going to effectively combat Throh and Sawk?" Kristine asked him.

"We beat them," Jason bluntly replied.

"We need a plan," Kristine insisted. "And are we really sure they're going to respond with Throh and Sawk?"

"They have to," Jason said. "Their other pokemon are rock types."

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared.

"I'm following your lead, Jason," Kristine announced.

They both pulled out their pokeballs.

"Riolu, let's go!" Jason yelled.

"Machop, showtime!" Kristine summoned.

"Rio!" Riolu howled.

"Machop!" Machop pounded his chest.

"Jason and Kristine make the first calls by bringing out their fighting pokemon!" the PA announcer spoke.

Harrison and Steve both looked at each other, and faced Jason and Kristine.

"Throh, let's fight!" Harrison yelled.

"You too, Sawk!" Steve yelled.

"Throh!" the smaller, heavier red pokemon in a white karate uniform roared, his voice deep and piercing.

"Sawk!" the taller, slimmer pokemon stood on one leg, honing a balanced fighting stance.

Both Machop and Riolu smirked, and faced their opponents.

"We have a fighting pokemon matchup here, everyone!" the announcer spoke.

"You were right, Jason," Kristine faced her brother.

"Prepare for close quarters fighting," Jason warned.

"Right. Focus Sawk first?"

Jason nodded.

Kristine faced Machop.

"Throh, Focus Energy!" Harrison commanded.

"You too, Sawk!" Steve did the same.

Throh and Sawk pumped themselves up, preparing to fight Riolu and Machop head on.

"Foresight on Sawk, Machop!" Kristine responded.

"Copycat on Throh, Riolu!" Jason smirked. "Let's get you pumped up too!"

Riolu locked onto Throh as his body glowed blue. Then, he pumped himself up just like Throh and Sawk.

"Throh, get in there!" Harrison ordered.

"Close in, Sawk!" Steve issued.

Throh and Sawk charged at Riolu and Machop.

"Keep your footing, Riolu!" Jason commanded.

"You do the same, Machop!" Kristine yelled.

"Storm Throw, Throh!" Harrison yelled.

Throh and Sawk got within close range of Riolu and Machop. Throh attempted to grab Riolu, but Riolu jumped away.

"Force Palm!" Jason yelled.

"Karate Chop, Machop!" Kristine commanded.

Riolu attempted to strike back at Throh, while Machop attacked Sawk. All four Pokemon dodged back and forth from attacks and grabs.

"We have one heck of a close quarters brawl going on, folks!" the PA announcer observed.

Suddenly, Throh managed to grab Riolu and quickly threw him across the battlefield.

"Now Body Slam!" Harrison yelled.

"Throh!" Throh ran towards Riolu.

"Jason, Machop is locked in with Sawk," Kristine informed. "You're on your own."

"I got it," Jason gave a nod. He faced Riolu. "Copycat that Storm Throw!"

Riolu's body glowed blue. As Throh prepared to jump for a body slam, Riolu shot his right leg up into the air to stop Throh's slam. He then grabbed Throh, and prepared a powerful backwards throw. In a stunning move, Riolu used Throh's move against him, throwing him with sheer force against the wall behind him.

"An unbelievable move by Jason and Riolu!" the PA announcer spoke.

"Now help out Machop and Force Palm Sawk!" Jason yelled.

Sawk and Machop continued to fight head to head, with neither one gaining the upper hand. Suddenly, Riolu ran up and used Force Palm, striking Sawk right on his back. He stumbled forward, caught off guard.

"Low Sweep!" Kristine followed up.

Machop conducted a sweep with his leg, knocking Sawk right to the ground.

"Vital Throw, Machop!" Kristine kept the assault going.

Machop grabbed Sawk by the legs and threw him with force. Sawk went flying as Throh ran back towards the fight. Sawk slammed right into Throh as the two were knocked to the ground. Throh pushed Sawk to the side, who was unable to get up.

"Sawk is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"And Sawk goes down!" the announcer observed.

A round of cheers and boos echoed across the stadium. Meanwhile, Throh stood there as Riolu and Machop approached him.

"Alright," Steve recalled Sawk. He pulled out his last Pokeball. "Here goes nothing. Let's go, Tyrunt!"

The rock dinosaur pokemon roared fiercely as he was summoned. He charged right at Riolu and Machop.

"I got a plan, Jason!" Kristine spoke. "We end this by taking out only two pokemon!"

"Following your lead, sis," Jason acknowledged.

"Then you do what you do best, and take out Tyrunt!" Kristine instructed. "Rock types are weak to fighting types. Make it quick, while I isolate Throh!"

"Got it," Jason complied. "Riolu, engage Tyrunt and Force Palm!"

"Rio!" Riolu charged at Tyrunt.

"Throh, get to Riolu and use Storm Throw!" Harrison yelled.

Throh ran towards Riolu to cover Tyrunt. Just then, Machop made the interception.

"Karate Chop!" Kristine commanded.

Machop struck Throh, sending hum tumbling to the ground. Throh got back up and attempted to grab Machop, who dodged the incoming attacks.

Meanwhile, Riolu ran forward the charging Tyrunt and threw his open palm forward, striking Tyrunt and sending him flying back.

"A true show of force by Riolu!" the announcer observed.

"Keep on Tyrunt!" Kristine suggested. "We take him out, we take Harrison out of the game!"

Jason nodded. "Riolu, close in and finish this with Force Palm!"

Riolu charged at Tyrunt.

"Tyrunt, get back up and use Ancient Power!" Harrison commanded.

Tyrunt roared as he stood back up, and projected rocks from the ground. He managed to direct the floating rocks with his mind, and threw them right at Riolu.

"Copycat!" Jason responded.

Riolu glowed blue, and projected rocks of his own, smashing them into Tyrunt's attack.

"Charge!" Jason yelled.

Riolu ran at Tyrunt.

"Dragon Tail!" Harrison became nervous.

Tyrunt fiercely swung his tail as Riolu got close. But Riolu simply jumped over the sweep, and lunged towards Tyrunt with an open palm. The attack smashed Tyrunt against the wall. It quickly became clear that he was unable to continue.

"Tyrunt is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"Ugh!" Harrison recalled Tyrunt. "Sorry, Steve."

Steve sighed, but he quickly made sure he wasn't upset at his partner. "This is unlike anything we've faced before, other than the Donnovan twins."

"You got that right. What are you going to do?"

"Throh's going to get surrounded and taken out by two faster pokemon," Steve observed. "I can try to slow them down with Amarua's Thunder Wave, but what of it? She'd be lucky if she can survive two fighting type attacks."

As Riolu and Machop surrounded Throh, it surprised the twins to see that Throh was suddenly recalled.

"Is Steve switching?" Jason asked.

"Must be," Kristine assumed. "Probably seeking a better matchup."

"There's no point putting my pokemon in a fight they cannot win alone," Steve spoke. "I forfeit."

"Very well," the referee acknowledged. "Harrison and Steve forfeit the match. Jason and Kristine win!"

The crowd remained stunned for a moment. Then, another round of cheers and boos erupted.

"An unbelievable show of strategy to isolate Harrison and Steve!" the announcer spoke up. "Just like that, Jason and Kristine go to the semifinals!"

"Yeah!" Jason cheered as he and his sister exchanged high fives.

—-

Later that night, Jason and Kristine watched the highlights of their battle from the comfort of their room at the pokemon center.

"From the Mountains to the Coast, they did it again," Tom announced, with a picture of Jason and Kristine exchanging another high five at the left side of the TV screen. "Twins Jason and Kristine Kyar, who made it clear that they existed long before they entered the Power Duo, made another sweep in the quarterfinals, this time against well renowned archaeologists Harrison and Steve.

"We played really well again," Kristine smiled. "Your call on Sawk –"

"And your call on Tyrunt," Jason finished her sentence.

"We're really in sync," Kristine faced her brother, not paying attention to the highlight reel. "I'm happy we are."

Jason turned to his sister. "Me too, Kristine. I feel like nothing can stop us."

"So far, no one could," Kristine turned her head back to the screen. Jason did the same. "It's only going to get harder from here."

"The Kyar twins join the final four teams of Power Duo 60. The semi finals begin tomorrow, while we're two days away from the finals," Tom continued. "The first battle tomorrow will be the Kyar Twins against the Willis Sisters at six o'clock, while the Donnovan Twins take on tag battle partners Amy and Erin at eight o'clock. You can catch both battles through IPSN's extranet channel.

"Up next, the Kalos Cup is underway. Regarded as one of the world's most prestigious tournaments, some of the world's best have committed to it. Who is projected to go far? Stay tuned to find out!"

"Of course they have to cover the Kalos Tournament," Jason sneered.

"One small step, my brother," Kristine patted Jason on the shoulder. "One small step."

"I suppose we should prepare against the Willis Sisters," Jason said.

Kristine got up and sat down before the terminal, bringing up any information she could find on their opponents.

"Serene and Vera Willis," Kristine researched. "Blonde hair, blue eyed girls. Funny, Serene's 15 but shorter than Vera, who's 13. Vera looks to be pretty tall for her age."

Jason looked at the picture of the sisters. "Still cute."

Kristine raised an eyebrow and faced her brother.

"What?" Jason laughed.

Kristine paid no further mind and faced the screen. "We're in for a tough match," she read further. "Serene Willis has four badges, hitting everything on the east coast except for Team Instinct, since she lost to Spark twice. Vera has one, beating Meeks on the third attempt."

"So Serene is the one with the experience while Vera is learning," Jason rubbed his chin.

"But let's not underestimate Vera," Kristine continued. "She has a strong team, as does her sister. Their team might just be more diverse than ours, actually. They normally don't go for two pokemon of the same type on the field."

"That's something we did all along, and they're going to notice that."

"Precisely. Question is, do we continue that trend or do we switch it up?"

"We've been preparing for dual type situations. It's time we use them."

"Then who do we go with?"

Jason leaned in to see the pokemon the Willis sisters use the most.

"Do you see a trend here?" Jason looked at his sister.

Kristine observed the pokemon that were used in the tournament. "Every match, Serene starts out with Weepinbell to support Vera's offensive pokemon. When Weepinbell went down earlier today, she switched to Staravia while Serene recalled her pokemon and sent out Luxio. So Weepinbell and Luxio are their two main support pokemon, used to weaken and paralyze their opponents while the other sister has an all out attacker."

"We can't predict their all out attackers; they used a different one every time. But we can build a counter to Weepinbell and Luxio."

"Snorunt can do the job. She can slow down Weepinbell and the attacker to keep them occupied. Not to mention Weepinbell will be weak to ice attacks."

"And psychic. I can bring Kirlia out. And Luxio?"

"You bring Jolteon. As long as Jolteon is out, Luxio can't do a thing to him."

"And who will you bring out?"

Kristine faced her brother with a confident look. "Espeon."

"Jolteon and Espeon," Jason liked the idea. "We have to do this."

Kristine seemed happy with the plans, and got up. She looked right at Jason. "No matter what happens tomorrow, I'm happy to make it to the semi finals with you. We did amazing so far."

"You're the one with the brains," Jason complimented.

"Oh please. You're the one with the guts. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty when it's necessary. And it really, really helps execute the overall strategy."

"Winning?"

"Yes," Kristine snickered. "Winning."

"Well, let's do some more of that tomorrow. We're on a roll. Why stop now?"

"Right with you, bro." Kristine got up. "Think they're going to be filling up the upper bowl?"

"Guess we'll find out about that."

* * *

The next day, the twins prepared for their semifinal match against two experienced opponents. They found themselves at the hallway to the battlefield by early evening.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the PA announcer addressed with enthusiasm.

The crowd roared louder than ever. The twins could feel the rumbling around them.

"Woah," Kristine muttered. "There's a packed house out there."

"No kiddin'," Jason attempted to remain calm.

"The semifinal matches kick off tonight!" the announcer continued. "First off, they're sisters aspiring to be the best trainers on the coast! Can they finally break through in this tournament and make it to the final round? Your very own Serene and Vera Willis!"

The audience roared ever so loudly for the Willis sisters as they made an appearance on the battlefield.

"Prepare for a big battle," Jason mentioned.

"And a lot of boos," Kristine added.

"On the other side," the announcer continued. "From the mountains to the coast, they've swept the first three rounds, the only team other than the Donnovan Twins to do so thus far. Jason and Kristine Kyar!"

The twins each took a deep breath and walked out towards the battlefield. They were met with a loud round of applause and boos from the audience.

"As bad as Jessie and James," Kristine snickered.

"Maybe we should come up with an introduction?" Jason played with the idea.

"To the tune of Team Rocket? Why not?"

The twins approached the Willis sisters. Serene was an inch shorter than Kristine, while Vera was two inches taller than Jason.

"Well well," Serene crossed her arms with a smirk on her face. "You came this far. You sure didn't come here to lose."

"Nope," Jason smirked back. "Be in for one heck of a battle."

"Noted," Serene acknowledged.

"We're unlike most other teams," Vera added. "Serene and I have a good track record in this tournament. If you think we'll be pushovers, think again."

"Stay focused, little one," Serene advised.

Jason and Kristine saw the irony in that statement.

"We expect nothing less," Kristine smiled.

Just then, the referee walked over.

"Alright, enough," the referee said. "I want good sportsmanship from all of you. Got it?"

All four contestants nodded at the referee.

"Good," the referee acknowledged. "Take to your positions."

Jason and Kristine took to their side of the field, as the Willis sisters did the same.

A moment later, the referee faced the center of the field. "Begin!"

"And the first semifinal match is underway!" the announcer spoke, followed by a round of cheers.

"Go, Weepinbell!" Serene brought out Weepinbell, as the twins expected.

"Go, Ponyta!" Vera yelled.

"Weepinbell!" the flycatcher pokemon greeted in a deep voice.

"Ponyta!" the fiery horse greeted with elegance, galloping towards the center of the field before running back towards Vera.

The twins faced eachother and nodded with confidence.

"Kirlia, let's go!" Jason yelled, throwing out his pokeball.

"Snorunt, showtime!" Kristine yelled, bringing out Snorunt.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia gave a bow.

"Snorunt," Snorunt looked around to see the masses staring her down.

Kristine realized that Snorunt was getting stage fright. "Snorunt, stay focused!" she tried to encourage her pokemon.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt faced the opponents in front of her.

Serene turned to her sister. "Take down Snorunt," she advised.

"Got it!" Vera smirked.

"Kristine, I have a plan to take down Weepinbell in one shot, if I'm right," Jason said.

"If you can do that, I can keep you covered!" Kristine replied. "Let's do it!"

"Gotcha!" Jason turned to Kirlia. "Kirlia, Future Sight on Weepinbell! Let's go!"

"Kirlia!" Kirlia locked her eyes on Weepinbell. Her eyes then glowed white.

"Future sight?" Serene muttered. "Vera! Change of plans! Get Kirlia, and now!"

"Getting Kirlia!" Vera complied.

"Get in front of Kirlia, Snorunt!" Kristine commanded.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt ran in front of Kirlia.

"Flame Charge, Ponyta! Pulverize 'em!" Vera yelled.

"Ponyta!" Ponyta ran at top speed as her body was covered in flames.

"Fire Stun Spore at Kirlia, Weepinbell!" Serene responded.

"Weepinbell!" Weepinbell tilted her mouth at a high arc and fired a yellow spore into the air.

Just then, Jason's eyes glowed white as well. The audience around him disappeared, and he could see a ball of psychic energy coming down on Weepinbell.

 _By your will, we will prevail!_ Jason heard the voice of a teenage girl, presumably Kirlia.

Jason turned over to see a slightly older looking Kristine, looking ever so confident while crossing her arms. He looked over to see Frosslass going into battle.

Then, Frosslass vanished, revealing Snorunt as she unleashed icy wind at the charging Ponyta.

 _I am at your command, Jason,_ Kirlia said.

 _Right,_ Jason responded. _Move out of Stun Spore and protect Snorunt!_

Meanwhile in reality, Kristine looked over to see Jason in a trance.

"Jason?" she spoke, but she got no response.

Snorunt's Icy Wind managed to slow down Ponyta's charge, but not by much. Just then, Ponyta's eyes glowed purple as she floated into the air and was flung back by telekinetic energy.

Kirlia conducted a duck and roll to get out of the radius of Stun Spore. She then got in front of Snorunt.

Kristine faced Jason once more, but got no response, no talk of strategy. Then it hit her. Kirlia was covering for Snorunt, while Snorunt can keep Weepinbell in place.

"Fire Ice Shard on Weepinbell now!" Kristine commanded.

"Fire Acid on 'em!" Serene yelled.

"Take Down on Kirlia, now!" Vera issued.

Ponyta charged Kirlia once more. Weepinbell fired an acidic projectile at Kirlia and Snorunt.

 _Magical Leaf!_ Jason commanded to Kirlia.

 _I will keep her pinned down,_ Kirlia complied. She then projected a barrage of leaves and hurled them at Ponyta.

Snorunt's ice shard struck Weepinbell, briefly dazing her.

"Weepinbell, target Snorunt with Razor Leaf!" Serene yelled.

"Weepinbell!" Weepinbell hurled a volley of leaves at Snorunt.

"Double Team!" Kristine responded.

Snorunt projected multiple copies of himself. Razor Leaf took out most of them, but Snorunt managed to make it through unharmed.

Meanwhile, Kirlia's Magical Leaf did little to stop Ponyta's charge.

 _I cannot stop Ponyta,_ Kirlia informed.

 _Get out!_ Jason ordered.

 _I cannot change fate,_ Kirlia replied.

Jason saw the energy beam fall down on Weepinbell.

"Snorunt, Icy –" Kristine began to yell another command, but she saw a piercing beam come from nowhere and struck Weepinbell head on.

The impact appeared to be devastating, and created a massive cloud of smoke. Just then, Ponyta connected her reckless tackle, sending Kirlia flying back. She tumbled over and over, and was slow to get up.

Just then, Jason returned to reality. "Weepinbell's taken out!" he informed.

"Welcome back," Kristine replied. "I'm sending Snorunt to help you!"

The smoke cleared. It was clear that Weepinbell could no longer fight.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"A powerful move by Kirlia! The Kyar Twins take the lead!" The announcer shouted.

"Return, Weepinbell!" Serene recalled her pokemon. She pulled out her second pokeball, and faced Vera. "Keep Ponyta out there!"

Vera simply nodded.

Serene tossed out her pokeball. "You're up, Buizel!"

"Bui Bui!" the eager weasel pokemon spoke with confidence.

"Kirlia took a big hit!" Jason said to Kristine. "I'm recalling her!"

"Do it!" Kristine agreed.

"Return, Kirlia!" Jason recalled her. "Good job. Get some rest, you're on standby to fight again."

Jason pulled out his other pokeball. "Let's go, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked. "Jolteon!"

"Now let's get Snorunt!" Serene said to her sister.

"Ponyta, Flame Charge on Snorunt!" Vera commanded.

"Buizel, Aqua Jet on Snorunt!" Serene yelled.

"Ponyta!" Ponyta blazed at Snorunt.

"Buizel!" Buizel launched himself in an aquatic stream right at Snorunt.

"Double Team!" Kristine yelled.

Snorunt projected multiple copies of herself.

"Snorunt's not going to last!" Kristine warned Jason.

Jason nodded. "Jolteon, fire Pin Missile on Snorunt's position!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired Pin Missile out of his coat, projecting hundreds of pins into the air.

Ponyta and Buizel rushed right through Snorunt's copies, plowing into Snorunt herself. The combination of fire and water created a massive cloud of steam as a volley of pins came raining down.

Kristine prepared to pull out Snorunt's pokeball. As the smoke cleared, her fears were confirmed as Snorunt was unable to battle. To shed some light on the situation, so was Ponyta.

"Snorunt and Ponyta are unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"A double KO!" the announcer addressed. "This won't be a flawless victory for the twins, but they're still ahead!"

"Return, Snorunt!" Kristine recalled her. "You did great out there."

She then pulled out Espeon's pokeball. "Showtime, Espeon!"

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted with grace.

"Return, Ponyta!" Vera recalled her pokemon. "Go, Luxio!"

"Luxio!" the electric big cat growled.

Jason smirked. "Kristine, have Espeon sit back. Jolteon will take the hits."

Kristine nodded. "Let's win this!"

"Luxio, Charge up!" Vera commanded.

"Buizel, use Swift!" Serene yelled.

"Bui!" Buizel jumped in the air and fired a volley of stars at Jolteon and Espeon.

"Pin Missile! Stop the Swift!" Jason responded.

Jolteon fired a volley of pins, stopping the stars in midair.

"Thunder Wave Espeon!" Vera yelled.

"Luxio!" Luxio projected a thunderous wave that affected Espeon.

"Take out Buizel!" Jason suggested.

"A sound plan!" Kristine agreed. "Espeon, Psybeam!"

Espeon fired a psychic beam at Buizel.

"Get out of there with Aqua Jet!" Serene yelled.

"Bui!" Buizel propelled himself to dodge Espeon's Psybeam.

"Now fire Swift!" Kristine followed up.

Espeon fired Swift, which struck Buizel, knocking him off course.

"Luxio, use Thunder Fang on Jolteon, let's go!" Vera issued.

"Luxio!" Luxio charged at Jolteon.

"Vera, no!" Serene pleaded.

"Run at Luxio!" Jason took advantage of the situation.

Jolteon ran towards Luxio. Luxio bit Jolteon's shoulder with electric force. However, Jolteon absorbed the energy, empowering him.

"What's going on?" Vera seemed confused.

"Oh dear…" Serene sighed.

"Thunder Shock Buizel!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon fired off such electric force, it knocked Luxio right off of him.

"Espeon, Swift once more!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon fired Swift right at Buizel. Between that and Thunder Shock, there was no escaping the attacks. Buizel was struck, and as the smoke cleared, he was unable to fight on.

"Buizel is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"And the match is tilting to the Kyar twins' favor!" the announcer yelled.

"Err…" Vera clenched her fist. "Luxio, charge Espeon and use Spark!"

"Jolteon, use Thunder Fang to grab a hold of Luxio!" Jason saw the chance to win.

Jolteon grabbed Luxio by the tail, zapping him.

"Luxio!" Luxio yelped.

"Espeon, Psybeam!" Kristine commanded.

Espeon fired a powerful Psybeam at Luxio. The Psybeam struck him head on. He collapsed to the floor as Jolteon let him go.

"Luxio is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Jason and Kristine are the winners!"

"Unbelievable!" the announcer shouted under the massive array of cheers across the stadium. "Jason and Kristine are moving onto the finals!"

"Yeah!" Jason threw his fists in the air.

"Finals bound!" Kristine cheered.

Vera recalled her pokemon. "I can't believe we lost."

"Patience, dear sister," Serene replied. "They're unlike anyone we ever faced. They might just take those cocky boys down a notch or two."

Vera sighed, but she faced her sister with a smile. "That'll be the day, huh?"

* * *

"Woo!" Jason celebrated as he and Kristine entered the tunnel.

"Haha!" Kristine placed her arms on Jason's shoulders. "You did awesome out there!"

"So did you!"

Just then, Yenela walked up to the twins with her cameraman.

"Jason and Kristine, you just made it to the finals," Yenela addressed, practically shoving the microphone in front of the twins. "How are you feeling right now?"

Kristine glanced up at the flatscreen TV nested in the corner, and realized she and Jason were on TV at that very moment. _Oh my gosh, it's live._

"Pretty stoked!" Kristine replied. She wrapped her arm around her brother. "Jason and his pokemon did really well tonight. I can't ask for a better partner."

"Jason, how would you rate your performance?" Yenela asked Jason.

Jason shrugged, struggling to spit out a response. "I-I have to give Kristine credit," Jason wrapped his arm around his sister. "She set me up for some great moves, and I set her up for Psybeam in the end."

"Your display of teamwork is impeccable," Yenela continued. "Earlier in the match, you appeared to go into a trance when you called for Future Sight. Can you give the audience any insight into it?"

Jason couldn't initially muster a response. "It's very hard to explain," he replied a moment later.

"It's Jason's connection with Kirlia," Kristine explained. "That's really all there is to explain. Anyone with a close connection to a telepathic pokemon would understand."

"Very well," Yenela acknowledged. "You'll be fighting in the finals tomorrow. What are you going to do to prepare?"

"Same as we have for all the other matches," Jason responded. "Research."

"From the Mountains to the Coast, everyone," Yenela faced the camera. "Jason and Kristine are in the finals, and they're not letting anyone get in their way! This is Yenela Kreea, reporting from Richland Stadium. Back to you, Tom!"

Yenela listened on her earpiece, while the twins simply looked back at the screen as it cut back to Tom in the studio.

"And we're clear," Yenela faced the twins. "Thanks for the interview!"

She then walked away with her cameraman.

"Talk about an ambush," Jason spoke.

"Live TV…" Kristine muttered.

"Guess we gotta get used to that."

Kristine nodded. "It's going to get worse tomorrow. IPSN is airing the final round on TV screens all over Inventum."

Jason sighed. "Right. Let's get ready for tomorrow."

"Gonna be one heck of a day," Kristine predicted.


	26. The Kyar Twins vs The Donnovan Twins!

"So, that's it," Jason stood before the TV screen in his and his sister's room inside the pokemon center. "Us against the Donnovan Twins."

Dave and Dan Donnovan had just completed their fourth consecutive sweep of the Power Duo. Kristine sat on the chair with her body facing the opposite direction, her arms resting on the back of the chair. IPSN had just reported the final outcome of the match, while Kristine was viewing the live stream on the extranet.

"We have one heck of a matchup in our hands," Kristine added.

"No kidding," Jason crossed his arms.

"And now, we'll turn to Yenela Kreea for a minute with the Donnovan Twins and their take on tomorrow's match," Tom the anchorman spoke. "Yenela?"

"Thanks Tom," Yenela said as the screen cut to her. Right next to her were two identical twins. One wore a blue shirt while the other wore a red shirt, and they both had black shorts on. They also had matching blue and orange ball caps.

"Dave and Dan, you've swept all the way to the finals and have made a fifth consecutive appearance," Yenela started off. "How-"

"It was easy!" the twin with the blue shirt replied loudly, interrupting Yenela.

"Yeah, piece of cake," the twin with the red shirt added.

"Hmph," Kristine observed. "Cocky, aren't we?"

Yenela snickered. "Your opponents tomorrow are another pair of twins who've had almost as much success as you two in this Power Duo."

"From the mountains to the coast, as they say," the twin with the blue shirt said.

"Seeing that they made it all the way to the finals, how will you prepare for tomorrow's match?" Yenela asked.

The Donnovan Twins looked at eachother, then they cracked up laughing.

"Preparing?" the twin with the red shirt cackled. "We're going to beat them so bad, we'll send them back crying through the Nappalchan Mountains!"

"Good one, Dan!" the twin with the blue shirt exchanged fist bumps with his brother.

Jason crossed his arms, annoyed by the response. "Cocky is right."

Kristine raised her hands in frustrated confusion. "Have they even been through the Mountains?"

"So you're confident you'll win tomorrow's match," Yenela pressed.

"Of course!" Dave replied. "No one can stop us. Why would a couple of goons who came out of nowhere stop us? How could they? It's going to be a clean sweep, guaranteed!"

"Wow," Yenela replied.

"We haven't even used Combusken and Marshtomp this time around," Dan added. "Might as well send them on vacation."

"You go do that," Kristine rolled her eyes. She saw that her brother was clenching his fist.

"If it's a fight that you want, it's a fight that you get," Jason swore. "And when we're done with you, we're making our mark on Richland Port. We will show the entire coast that we are here, and we are here to stay."

"These kids came on our turf, thinking they're all that," Dan mentioned. "Just wait until they see Magneton and Pawniard. It's over already."

"Well, thank you for telling us your entire team, you brats," Kristine smirked.

Jason turned to his sister. "I want Riolu and Machop to kick their butts and I want Jolteon and Espeon on reserve!"

Kristine got up. "Agreed."

By then, the interview was over, and the screen cut back to Tom.

"I want them to come crawling back to their mother when it's over," Jason continued his tirade. "I want –"

"Jason," Kristine approached him, placing her hands on his shoulder. "I need you to stay focused, okay? These kids are brats, but they're really tough. They're tough like us, and talking like that won't make us tougher, which we need to be if we are to win this. Focus on the battle, okay?"

Jason sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay."

Kristine smiled. "Let Dave and Dan say what they want. We're going to give them a heck of a battle, something they won't expect. I know we can do this."

"We can win this," Jason placed his hands on Kristine's shoulders. "Our pokemon can do this. We can do this."

"It's been one crazy journey," Kristine felt her emotions seep in. "Just think about what we're doing right now. It's amazing. No one needs to acknowledge that but ourselves. The struggles we've been through, and the success we've had. Jason, we've only won two badges. Two!"

"And we haven't stopped," Jason replied. "We will not stop."

"Never!" Kristine agreed. "But no matter what happens tomorrow, know that I would never trade you for the world. Deep down inside, you're the toughest guy around. I can't ask for a better twin."

"You say that like it's our last battle," Jason mentioned.

"Heh," Kristine chuckled. "Jason, you fight every battle like it's your last. It's aspiring."

Jason thought about it. He figured Kristine was right.

"Then let's give it all we got tomorrow," he clearly spoke.

* * *

The next evening, the twins approached down the hallway of Richland Stadium with their heads held high. They knew the stadium would be completely sold out, as the tickets ran dry a long time ago, since even before the tournament began.

"No matter what happens, no matter what they do, stay focused," Kristine advised.

"Got it," Jason acknowledged. He faced the entrance to the battlefield.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer addressed. "Welcome to Richland Stadium's 60th Power Duo!"

The audience roared, the loudness and quantity beyond the twins' comprehension. The ground rumbled and the walls vibrated.

Jason closed his eyes and hopped up and down. Kristine took notice; she knew Jason was trying to calm down and pump himself up.

"We got this," Jason took a deep breath. "We got this."

Kristine also took a deep breath. "We got this."

With a few more words from the announcer, he began his introductions at last. It felt like ages to the twins.

"And now, your Power Duo finalists!" the announcer spoke.

A massive round of cheers followed, and it did not stop.

"They came from the mountains to the coast, and they've made it this far! The Nappalchan Mountain Range is an 825 mile trek connecting Saint Brandon to Richland Port. It is an impressive feat for any aspiring trainer! They have proven that they can compete in the coast. How far will they go? Ladies and gentlemen, Jason and Kristine Kyar!"

The cheers only got louder.

"All the way!" Jason shouted right before he and Kristine proceeded out to the battlefield.

The atmosphere was unlike anything they've ever seen. Both bowls of the stadium were packed. The roars were nearly overwhelming, and it seemed that the crowd in general grew to respect the Kyar twins.

Jason and Kristine looked around. There were cameramen everywhere, with camera-mounted drones flying overhead. As they approached the center, one of the drones hovered right in front of them. They glanced at the camera, feeling slightly awkward.

"Well, I guess we can never be prepared enough for this," Kristine mentioned.

Jason didn't respond. He was focused on one thing, and it was to win.

* * *

"I hate preparing for presentations…" Bradley sighed, as he worked overtime on his laptop within the lounge of the Mystic Gym. For the past several months, he and his comrades have been documenting multiple cases of pokemon migrating from the west. He had to present his findings to the Pokemon Conservation Committee of Inventum to see if this is an issue worth prompting further investigations.

"Notes are all set," Bradley muttered. "Now to run this with –"

Aria suddenly walked into the lounge.

"Checking in on you before I head out," she said, holding her purse over her shoulder.

"Almost there, boss," Bradley informed. "Just polishing it up, making sure the closing is short and sweet."

"Heh," Aria cracked a smirk. "Bradley, you should take a break. You've been at it for hours."

Bradley sighed, and got up. "I suppose you're right."

"How are you doing?" Aria asked.

Bradley shrugged. "I've just been busy. Between the gastly, and now we have diglet showing up in Cheron Forest. I've been over there documenting the movements for months, and now, I have to make a nice presentation about it."

Aria walked over and placed her purse on the table. "Let's chill for a bit, huh?"

"You sure you wanna hang out with me?" Bradley snickered.

"Why not?" Aria smirked. "Just don't take it as a date."

"If you say so." Bradley stretched his arms and walked over to the couch before taking a seat.

Aria sat down next to him, and grabbed the remote. "Let's see what's on, tonight."

"So Aria," Bradley faced her.

"Yeah?" Aria flipped through the channels.

"How's your day?"

"Fine. Yeah, fine."

"Any, I don't know, did anything happen? Something you'd like to share?"

"Oh, just the same old same old. Trainer came in and Wobbuffet took care of him. I introduced myself to a couple recruits. Kinda a slow day, really."

"Heh," Bradley chuckled. "I know you've been busy too, so maybe it's good to get a breath of fresh-"

"Oh, look what we have here," Aria tuned into IPSN.

"And here are Jason and Kristine Kyar making their appearance!" one of the commentators spoke.

"Look at the confidence in them!" the other commentator added.

"I think they're concealing the nervousness, Adam," the first commentator said.

"They may not be used to a television-aired game, Mike," Adam said. "But they're ready to take on the Donnovan Twins."

"Well, look at that!" Bradley leaned forward. "Our favorite pair of twins, making it all the way to Richland Port and fighting in the Power Duo."

"I had an email from Fiona a while back, when the twins challenged her husband," Aria mentioned. "She was astounded how they worked together."

"Kristine has a sharp mind," Bradley added. "She's a good kid."

"So is Jason. He knows how to get out of a tough situation."

"And they could very well win this thing through will and wits."

"Maybe. But they've never played in a nationally televised game before. It's a whole different beast."

"Eh. Just pretend no one's there and they'll be fine."

* * *

Veronica sat down within the living area of the Kyar household. She knew her son and daughter would be playing in the final round of the Power Duo tonight, and she was glued to the television.

"Jason, Kristine," she muttered to herself. "Do your best out there. I'm so proud of the both of you for the strong individuals you've become in a short amount of time."

* * *

Jason and Kristine stood at the center of over 60,000 people. The stadium lights were shining down on the entire battlefield.

"Kristine," Jason said. "Whatever happens tonight, just doing this tournament with you has been awesome. There's so many more adventures ahead of us."

"Right with you, bro," Kristine gave a nod, facing the opposite entrance alongside her brother.

"And now!" the announcer continued. "They've won four consecutive Power Duo tournaments, and they are going for five. They've been dominant and it seems they only get better and better. Can Jason and Kristine stop them? Your very own Dave and Dan Donnovan!"

The audience exploded into cheers, applause, and stomps. Dave and Dan emerged from the opposite end and approached the twins while waving left and right. They eventually made their way to the center.

"Hi there," Kristine attempted to be civil. "Good lu-"

"You've had your fun," Dave crossed his arms. "It ends tonight."

"Go back to where you came from," Dan also crossed his arms. "Back through those mountains. You made it here by yourselves, we don't need to show you the door."

Jason smirked. "You try going through those mountains. Anyone who does earns my respect."

"If you haven't done anything like that in your lives, you need to take up that kind of challenge to walk that talk," Kristine added. "I promise you we won't roll over and die."

"No, we won't," Jason maintained his smirk.

"I won't stand for another pair of twins stepping on our territory!" Dan pouted.

"It's called competing in the Inventum League," Jason spoke. "You can be jerks all you want. You can stop by Mountain Spring anytime you want, because we know a thing or two about hospitality."

"We're merely passing by as we go down the coast and fight the gym leaders," Kristine added. "But one thing's for certain."

"Win or lose, we're here to stay," Jason firmly stated. "We have no interest in taking your territory, but all the interest in getting all twelve badges."

"Until we beat you," Dave laughed. "Let's see you walk that talk!"

"Alright, enough!" the referee walked in between the competitors. "Any more smack talk from any of you, I will penalize your reserve from the match. Got it?"

"Got it," Jason and Kristine complied.

"Hmph," Dan and Dave grunted at the same time, and walked to their side of the field.

"They're the ones who started it," Kristine pleaded to the referee.

"Don't let them get to you and you'll be fine," the referee advised. "I'm keeping an eye on them."

Jason and Kristine walked over to their side of the field.

"And now, the match is underway!" the announcer yelled.

A moment later, the referee acknowledged that both sides were ready to fight.

"Begin!" he shouted.

A wave of roars from the audience followed. Jason and Kristine briefly glanced at one another before facing the field.

"Let's go, Riolu!" Jason summoned.

"Showtime, Machop!" Kristine followed.

"Rio!" Riolu howled.

"Machop!" Machop pounded his chest.

"Jason and Kristine start off with Riolu and Machop!" the announcer observed.

"Pawniard, come out!" Dave threw out his pokeball.

"You too, Magneton!" Dan threw out his.

"Pawniard!" the dark and steel type hybrid crossed his arms.

"Magneton!" the electric and steel hybrid greeted in echoes emanating from all three of its bodies.

"They kept their word from that interview," Kristine mentioned.

"Prepare to defend, guys!" Jason yelled towards Riolu and Machop.

"Metal Sound, Magneton!" Dan commanded.

"Magneton!" Magneton produced a deafening sound towards Riolu and Machop, sounding like screeching steel.

Riolu and Machop both covered their ears from the piercing sound.

"Pawniard, Feint Attack Machop!" Dave followed up.

"Pawn!" Pawniard charged at Machop. He struck him with his sharp hands, knocking Machop on his back.

"Riolu, Force Palm Pawniard!" Jason yelled.

"Rio…" Riolu faced Pawniard.

Pawniard immediately jumped backwards to expand his range on Riolu.

"Pawniard, Metal Sound!" Dave yelled.

"Pawn!" Pawniard clapped his hands, producing a deafening sound towards Riolu.

"Rio…" Rio covered his ears again and fell on his knees.

"Those Metal Sounds are powerful!" Kristine said in concern. "Machop, get up!"

"Machop…" Machop attempted to fight through Metal Sound.

"Magneton, Electro Ball on Machop!" Dan yelled.

"Magneton!" Magneton fired a powerful electric ball at Machop.

"Dodge it!" Kristine responded.

"Machop!" Machop mustered the strength to endure Pawniard's Metal Sound and jumped up, narrowly avoiding electro ball.

"Pawniard, Feint Attack!" Dave commanded.

"Pawniard!" Pawniard quickly jumped at Machop's level, and struck him with his hands once more. Machop slammed back to the ground.

* * *

"And Machop is struck by a second Feint Attack!" Mike commented, as Aria and Bradley watched on. "We're just a few moments into the match, and already, the Kyar twins don't have that sense of control they've had the entire tournament!"

"Come on, kiddos!" Bradley cheered on.

* * *

Riolu got right back up and faced Pawniard.

"Mirror Shot, Magneton, quick!" Dave yelled.

"Magneton!" Magneton's bodies shined, sending a gleaming metal beam at Machop.

"Oh no!" Kristine yelled.

"Riolu, run in and take it!" Jason commanded.

Riolu quickly ran towards Machop and dove before him, taking Mirror Shot directly.

"Heh," Dave smirked. "Finish Riolu, Dan."

"Easy peasy!" Dan laughed. "Pawniard, Assurance!"

"Pawn!" Pawniard leaped towards Riolu.

"Endure!" Jason yelled.

Riolu's body outlined a glowing blue as he embraced Pawniard's finishing blow. Jason knew the move Assurance very well. It's a dark type move, though not very effective against fighting types, deals an incredible amount of damage when the opponent is struck by another attack just seconds prior.

Pawniard struck Riolu head on, but Riolu withstood the attack without moving back an inch.

"What in the world?" Dan was puzzled.

"Finish him, Dan!" Dave demanded. "Magneton, Metal Sound!"

Jason faced Kristine. "Neither of us can take another hit like that. It's time for us to strike and now!"

"I have an idea!" Kristine said. "We need Magneton to use Electro Ball!"

Magneton's Metal Sound pierced the eardrums of Riolu and Machop once more.

"Feint Attack on Riolu and now!" Dan commanded.

"Pawn!" Pawniard charged Riolu.

"Copycat Metal Sound and send it right back to Pawniard!" Jason commanded.

"Rio!" Riolu's body glowed blue once more, and he let out a piercing scream that stopped Pawniard in his tracks.

"Er," Dave grew frustrated. "If you won't take him out, I will!" Magneton, use Electro Ball!"

"Magneton!" Magneton fired a quick Electro Ball at Riolu.

"Machop, grab Pawniard and use Vital Throw right at Electro Ball!" Kristine yelled.

"Machop!" Machop ran towards Pawniard.

Before Pawniard could get up, Machop grabbed him by the arms, and hurled him away.

"Pawniard!" Pawniard yelled as he was thrown with such force.

Pawniard flew right into Magneton's electro ball. The ball exploded upon impact. The crowd roared thunderously.

"What a play by Kristine and Machop!" the announcer observed.

The smoke cleared, and Pawniard was unable to get up. The combination of a quad-effective Vital Throw and the powerful friendly fire Electro Ball proved to be too much.

"Pawniard is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"What!?" Dan had his hands over his head. "That's not fair!"

"I told you to take down Riolu!" Dave yelled.

"You're the one who took out Pawniard!" Dan snapped back.

Dave sighed. "Whatever."

"Guess our starters will get some light, afterall," Dan said with a smirk on his face. He recalled Pawniard before pulling out his last pokeball. "Okay, Marshtomp, you're up!"

"Marshtomp!" the water and ground hybrid pounded the floor with his fins.

Veronica leaned forward towards the television screen. "The way you kids cooperate with eachother brings me joy," she smiled. "Your father would be proud of you both, no matter what happens tonight."

"Mud Bomb, let's go!" Dan quickly called.

"Metal Sound!" Dave added.

Marshtomp fired a massive ball of mud into the air, aimed at Riolu and Machop. Magneton projected another piercing soundwave towards the two. Both Riolu and Machop, already weary, were struggling to endure the Metal Sound.

"Riolu, Quick Attack Marshtomp to get out of there!" Jason yelled.

"Rio!" Riolu sprinted towards Marshtomp.

Just then, a massive ball of mud forcefully struck the floor. The wave produced by it knocked Machop backed as he tumbled over and over. He struggled mightily to get up, but he did.

"You can do it, Machop!" Kristine encouraged him. "Hang in there a little while longer!"

Riolu managed to close in on Marshtomp, striking him with quick attack.

"Marsh!" Marshtomp was unmoved.

"Mud Shot Riolu back to the mountain regions!" Dan yelled.

"Marshtomp!" Marshtomp projected a powerful burst of mud at Riolu.

"Dodge and Copycat that to Magneton!" Jason yelled.

From such a close range, Riolu was able to sidestep the attack. His body then glowed blue once more as he faced Magneton.

"Magneton, Mirror Shot to finish off Machop!" Dave commanded.

"Magneton!" Magneton fired off a silver beam right before it became struck by Riolu's mud shot. The mud shot knocked Magneton to the ground. However, Magneton's Mirror Shot struck Machop head on.

Machop was thrown backwards from the attack. He slammed to the ground, unable to get up.

"Machop is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"Riolu, Force Palm Magneton!" Jason commanded.

"Rio!" Rio jumped at Magneton.

"Magneton, get up and use Spark!" Dave yelled.

"Magneton!" Magneton projected electric energy throughout its body.

Just then, Riolu closed in on Magneton and struck it with an open fist. Magneton transferred its electric energy to zap Riolu. The result was an explosion that emanated Riolu, as Magneton was flown back, slamming against the wall behind it. Both Riolu and Magneton did not get back up.

"Riolu and Magneton are unable to battle!" the referee declared.

"A double KO!" the announcer observed. "It comes down to the final two pokemon on both sides!"

The audience cheered at the developments. In what was to be a one-sided victory for the Donnovan Twins, the Kyar Twins were making a statement. They weren't going to roll over, and they were here to stay.

Dave, Jason, and Kristine recalled all of their pokemon, ready to send out Combusken, Jolteon, and Espeon, respectively.

* * *

"Mike, were you expecting the match to develop the way it's going right now?" Adam asked, as they both continued to commentate on the battle.

"Not at all," Mike replied. "I don't think many fans were expecting this either. "Adam, when we ran the poll, 91% of fans said the Donnovan Twins would win, with over 65% saying they would win decisively. This will not be a decisive win, folks."

"If it's a win at all for the Donnovan Twins," Adam added.

"When this is all said and done, a lot more people will know about the Kyar Twins," Mike said.

"You got that right," Bradley spoke before the television screen.

"This is getting intense," Aria mentioned, leaning forward with her hands placed on her knees.

"The Donnovan twins are showing experience," Bradley added.

"Yet the Kyar twins are showing defiance," Aria stated. "It's the same kind of defiance Jason showed me. You're seeing Kristine's smarts in full display, how she forced the Donnovan Twins to fall for her trap and take out Pawniard very quickly. You saw Jason's guts as Riolu fought against Marshtomp and Magneton head on. Yet if they were just more experienced in the tournament scene, they would have flattened the Donnovan Twins."

"Let's go, kids," Bradley watched on, hoping for Jason and Kristine to pull off an upset of epic proportions.

* * *

Jason and Kristine looked on with determination, pulling out their last pokeballs. Meanwhile, the Donnovan Twins looked to be in disbelief. They even promised a swift victory, and now, they're down to their last two pokemon.

"Jason and Kristine make the first moves!" the referee stated.

"Let's go, Jolteon!" Jason threw out his pokeball.

"Showtime, Espeon!" Kristine threw out hers.

"Alright, Combusken, let's do this!" Dave responded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted.

"Combusken!" the fighting and fire hybrid roared.

The audience cheered once more, their roars echoing throughout the stadium.

"Keep your range!" Kristine said to Jason. She then turned to Espeon. "Espeon, Calm Mind!"

"Espeon!" Espeon's eyes turned white as she sat down.

"Jolteon, Pin Missile!" Jason commanded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired off numerous pins from his coat, aiming at Combusken and Marshtomp.

"Dodge em!" the Donnovan Twins shouted at the same time.

Combusken and Marshtomp dodged the incoming barrage of pins, while Espeon continued to gain strength.

"Just keep using Calm Mind!" Kristine yelled.

"Espeon!" Espeon complied.

"Guard Espeon, Jolteon," Jason commanded.

"Marshtomp, use Mud Bomb!" Dan followed up.

"Marsh!" Marshtomp fired a massive ball of mud into the air.

"Pin Missile that bomb!" Jason yelled.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired more pins into the air.

Jolteon's Pin Missile effectively popped the mud bomb on impact, spreading drops of mud throughout the battlefield.

"Combusken, Flame Charge Jolteon!" Dave commanded.

"Combusken!" Combusken charged at Jolteon full steam ahead, flames enveloping his body.

"Let me blast him!" Kristine said to Jason.

Jason nodded. "Jolteon, Double Team!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon projected multiple copies of himself.

"Espeon, Psybeam right through those copies at Combusken!" Kristine yelled.

"Espeon!" Espeon fired telekinetic energy from her eyes, blazing right through three of Jolteon's copies.

Dave saw the powerful beam approach Combusken. "Combusken, jump! Now!"

"Combusken!" Combusken leaped over Psybeam just in the nick of time.

Espeon's Psybeam continued to bolt well past Combusken, and right towards Marshtomp. Marshtomp was unable to dodge the attack as he was struck by Psybeam. He flipped backwards once before falling on his stomach.

"You let Marshtomp take the hit!?" Dan was infuriated. "How could you?"

"Better you than me," Dave crossed his arms. "Do you really want Combusken to take a direct psychic type attack?"

Dan sighed. "Get back up, Marshtomp!"

"Marshtomp!" Marshtomp quickly got up.

"Combusken, close on Jolteon and use Double Kick!" Dave commanded.

"Combusken!" Combusken leaped towards Jolteon, throwing powerful kicks at him.

"Dodge it!" Jason yelled.

"Espeon, Calm Mind!" Kristine yelled.

"Marshtomp, Foresight on Jolteon!" Dan yelled.

"Combusken, Sand Attack!" Dave yelled.

Combusken kicked a pile of sand from the floor right at Jolteon's face.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon tried to shake the sand off his eyes, but it became clear that he was thrown off guard by it.

"Keep using Calm Mind, Espeon," Kristine followed up.

"Kristine," Jason turned his head to her.

"Trust me, Jason," Kristine kept her focus. "We need them to fire everything they have at us first! We need to survive the main attack!"

"Errr…" Jason looked on with concern as Jolteon was at the mercy of Combusken and Marshtomp all of a sudden.

"Marshtomp, use Mud Shot on Jolteon!" Dan commanded.

"Marsh!" Marshtomp shot out a powerful stream of mud at Jolteon.

Marshtomp's Mud Shot struck Jolteon's side, sending him tumbling over.

"Now's our chance!" Dan declared.

"Combusken, get ready!" Dave yelled.

"Combusken!" Combusken hopped back towards Marshtomp.

"Now, it's time to end this right here and now!" Dave held his fist in the air.

He turned to Combusken. "Fire Pledge!"

"Water Pledge!" Dan yelled at the same time.

Combusken's body glowed a fiery red, while Marshtomp glowed an aquatic blue. The battlefield began to shake all of a sudden.

"Here it comes!" Jason braced.

"Get ready!" Kristine got down on one knee.

"Combusken!" Combusken fired a spiral red flame.

"Marshtomp!" Marshtomp fired a massive stream of water.

The flames encircled the water cannon as it approached Jolteon.

"Fight it!" Kristine yelled. "It's our only chance!"

"Alright," Jason faced Jolteon. "Jolteon, Thunder Shock with all your might!"

"JOLT!" Jolteon fired a bolt of electricity at the incoming assault of fire and water.

Jolteon's Thunder Shock met the attack head on, but it only slowed its advance as it crept towards Jolteon.

"It's not holding!" Jason looked over to Kristine.

"You're doing great!" Kristine looked on with determination. "You're playing to your strength, and that was to hold them. If we survive this, remember Espeon has not been scratched yet."

Jason suddenly realized the strategy and faced his sister with a grin. "You're using their cards against them the whole time."

Kristine smiled. "Yep. And you're doing an amazing job, Jason."

"You too, sis."

Kristine faced Espeon. "Psybeam! Now!"

"Espeon!" Espeon fired an empowered Psybeam attack at the pledges.

Espeon's empowered Psybeam, combined with Jolteon's Thunder Shock, was just enough to stall the pledges.

"I don't think we've ever seen this before, folks!" the PA announcer even seemed astonished.

It was a spectacular display of electric and psychic energy combating against fire and water. Steam and electric currents were developing at the epicenter of the clash.

* * *

Bradley and Aria were glued to the TV while on the edge of their seats.

"They can actually do this," Bradley muttered. "They can really do this."

Aria did not verbally respond. She was caught in the suspense of the moment. In fact, she was caught in the suspense so much that she held onto Bradley's left hand with both of her hands and squeezed it tightly. Bradley quickly noticed, but did not say a word to avoid the risk of having that affectionate moment taken away.

* * *

"Keep at it, Jolteon!" Jason yelled.

"You too, Espeon!" Kristine added.

An aura of interchanging colors began to illuminate the field.

Jason also got on one knee, on eye level with his sister. "You're the smartest person I've ever known!"

"And you're the strongest!" Kristine replied. "For all the times you've looked out for me, for being the strong arm of us two, I wanted to do something like this for a very long time!"

"And saving me wasn't enough?" Jason laughed.

"You saved me, too!" Kristine smiled. "Jason, no matter what happens here, we've given our all. I'm proud to be –"

Suddenly, the clash of abilities turned into a devastating explosion. Steam and smoke covered the field as kinetic energy struck all pokemon and trainers. While all four pokemon were knocked back, the wind knocked Kristine's cap right off her head.

Jason, Dave, and Dan braced the wind. Moments later, the smoke cleared. Espeon sat in one place, while all three other pokemon were down. Jolteon was slow to get up, as was Marshtomp. Combusken quickly got up and shook off the damage done.

Dave and Dan were absolutely stunned.

"They…stopped it…" Dave was dumbfounded.

"How is that possible?" Dan seemed just as puzzled.

"Jolteon…" Jolteon made an effort to stand straight.

The audience were mesmerized by a rainbow that shot over the battlefield under a night sky.

"Espeon," Espeon's eyes glowed as bright as the moon itself.

"The entire time Espeon used Calm Mind," Kristine mentioned with a determined look on her face. "She's stored immense power and has a nearly impenetrable special defense while Dave and Dan exhausted their offensive capabilities."

Kristine got back up, as did Jason.

"Now," she said to her brother. "Fire everything you got at them!"

"Pin Missile, Jolteon!" Jason commanded.

"Swift, Espeon!" Kristine followed up.

Jolteon fired a volley of pins as Espeon fired a swift of stars at Combusken and Marshtomp.

"Dodge it now!" the Donnovan Twins yelled at the same time.

Espeon's stars were large as they were swift. As Combusken got out of the way of the attacks by leaping left and right, Marshtomp was caught within a barrage of stars. The stars were so powerful that Marshtomp slammed back against the wall while being struck by star after star.

Kristine looked at Combusken. "Espeon, Psybeam!"

"Espeon!" Espeon fired Psybeam at Combusken.

"Thunder Shock, Jolteon!" Jason commanded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired Thunder Shock at Combusken.

Both attacks struck Combusken hard, leaving an explosion of smoke. As the smoke cleared, it became clear that Combusken and Marshtomp were unable to continue.

"Combusken and Marshtomp are unable to continue!" the referee declared. "Jason and Kristine are the winners!"

"Yes!" Jason left the box with his fist held high. "Good job guys!"

"Alright!" Kristine jumped up and down. She was so excited that she ran over to Jason and jumped on his back.

The audience roared into cheers over Jason and Kristine's victory. In the heat of the moment, Dan and Dave recalled their pokemon in utter disbelief and simply walked out of the battlefield.

Kristine jumped off a moment later as she and Jason exchanged high fives with both hands. They then hugged eachother, jumping up and down, as Jolteon and Espeon approached them.

* * *

Bradley and Aria hugged eachother as they jumped up and down.

"They did it!" Bradley cheered.

"They totally did it!" Aria cheered.

The two realized how affectionate they were being towards one another. Aria quickly backed away.

"Is it the whole Gym Leader and Branch Admin thing?" Bradley asked.

"I…I just have to keep things professional," Aria replied.

"Aria, you rarely have fun for yourself," Bradley continued. "I don't want to pressure you into going out with me, because that's entirely up to you. But something tells me you want to give it a shot."

"I like you, Brad," Aria smiled. "I really do. You're a sweet, funny guy."

"Would you like to grab some sushi with me?" Bradley smiled back. "Your favorite place."

Aria contemplated for a moment, then reached a conclusion. "I'd like that," she spoke with confidence.

She then walked over to the table where she left her purse at and picked it up. Bradley turned off the TV and proceeded out the door with her.

"Don't tell me I need to buy for the both of us," Aria bantered.

"Nah, you pay me enough to cover myself," Bradley replied. "Just kidding. I'll cover for you, too."

"A date worth keeping is one who can pay for herself, as they say," Aria smiled as the two headed out.

* * *

Veronica sat there as joyful tears rolled down her eyes. Seeing her children celebrate together, nothing could beat that.

"We've raised great children, James," she softly spoke. "We truly have."

* * *

A short while later, the tournament commissioner, along with Yenela Kreea and a handful of cameramen, all came out for the induction ceremony. Jason and Kristine stood at the center of the field as the commissioner prepared to hand them their prize money of $10,000.

"Jason and Kristine," Yenela spoke for all the stadium and all of Inventum to hear. "From the mountains to the coast, as they say. You made it clear on where you came from earlier in the tournament. You've introduced yourselves as trainers during the Power Duo. These fans would love to get to know you more. What do you have to say?"

"Well, my name is Jason Kyar," Jason spoke, before placing his arm over Kristine's shoulder. "And this is my twin sister, Kristine. We came from Mountain Spring over in the mountain regions of Inventum, and we're on a journey as pokemon trainers. We've had a lot of challenges to get to here. No matter what happens, no matter what comes up, we won't give up easily, and we're here to stay!"


	27. The New Faces of Inventum

"Hahaha!" Kristine placed her hands behind Jason's shoulders as she followed him down the hallway. "We did it Jason! We won it!"

"Our Pokemon did awesome today," Jason laughed. "And you did awesome, too!"

The two have already received their prize winnings of $5,000 each, transferred to a credit chit given to each of them.

"You'd think the Donnovan Twins would be good sports considering how successful they are," Kristine added.

"Eh," Jason shrugged. "If they can't handle a loss, that's their problem."

"It's one criticism about the Power Duo," said the voice of Meeks, as he approached the twins from down the hall. "There are so many better trainers out there than the Donnovan Twins, and they all aim for higher goals. Like the both of you, for instance."

"Then I guess we still have a very long way to go," Jason replied.

"And we've barely beaten the Donnovan Twins," Kristine said.

"You do have a long way to go," Meeks continued. "This tournament is nothing compared to the challenges you have faced, and will continue to face."

He walked right between Jason and Kristine, facing the entrance to the battlefield. "Winning this tournament, despite its drawbacks, is proof enough you're capable of the Inventum League. If that wasn't enough, you traveled all the way through the Nappalchan Mountains. That's proof in itself."

He chuckled and faced the twins. "The Pokemon League works in interesting ways. The rules state that the Gym Leader must grant their respective badge to the trainer upon and only upon the trainer's victory in a pokemon battle, except for extreme or special circumstances.

"So I called the Inventum League the old fashioned way. I said, "what if these kids who made it across the Nappalchan Mountains were to win the Power Duo. I think it'd be pointless to battle me when they defeated trainers who have defeated me before." Then my request made it to the board."

Jason and Kristine were trying to figure out where Meeks was going with this.

"The board approved five to four that I have the right to grant you the Power Badge without doing it the old fashioned way," Meeks made his point as he turned around to face the twins. "And you don't seem the type that will accept this outright. So take 'em. I'm not asking."

"You're – you're giving us the badges?" Jason seemed surprised.

"I see your point," Kristine replied. "But I'm not sure about this."

"Look," Meeks said. "I have the highest loss ratio of all Gym Leaders. Ol' Raichu is getting up there in age, and people wonder why I haven't retired yet. The Donnovan Twins defeated me in battle, and you showed them what it means to be a real trainer better than I ever could. And – gosh I can't believe I'm making this pun – you powered your way through the tournament. I would have tested your strength. How would you fight power?"

"With power," Jason replied.

"Speed," Kristine replied at the same time.

"I would no longer be a challenge to you," Meeks continued. "But more of a nuisance. Take the badges."

Meeks pulled two small boxes from his pocket and presented them to the twins. "The Power Badge represents your strength and bravery. Inventum wasn't ready for you, but you showed everyone who you are and you persevered when no one expected you to."

Still hesitant, the twins were not sure how to handle the situation. It almost seemed cheap to the both of them that they would be handed badges. But Meeks made his case clear – he would present them the badges on the basis that he would no longer pose as a significant challenge to the twins, but rather a redundant one. And the slight majority of the Inventum League's committee seemed to agree with him.

Finally, Jason offered his hands before Meeks. "I'd rather fight you, but you understand better than anyone else about our triumphs. And what we did just now was pretty nuts."

Kristine, surprised that Jason made the initial response, decided to follow his lead. "You're the Gym Leader. If you have confidence in us, if we've proven our worth to you, then I accept.

"You've done it and more, kid," Meeks smiled.

Meeks gave Jason and Kristine each the Power Badge. They both opened their boxes, revealing a shining red badge in the shape and outline of Groudon, the sigil of Team Power.

"Alright, badge number three out of the way!" Kristine cheered.

Jason remained silent, but he still expressed a grin on his face.

"Team Power sponsors not just the Power Duo, if that wasn't obvious enough, but veterans of the War," Meeks continued. "I guess you can say Team Power is full of old people retelling war stories, but our proceeds go to good causes."

"Like the half-track at the Central Pokemon Lodge in the Mountains?" Kristine asked.

"Oh, Betty," Meeks recollected. "Yes. We have younger people taking up professions like rangers, rescue operators, and conservationists and will likely be the new faces of Team Power in the near future. And who knows? Maybe Team Power will get a new Gym Leader soon enough. If you stick around this city long enough, you'll find people who are members of Team Power."

"Thank you, Meeks," Jason spoke.

"Sure thing, trooper," Meeks replied. "I'll see you kids around. Don't go spending that prize money in one place, now."

The twins waved goodbye as Meeks began to depart.

"Oh, and one more thing," Meeks turned around. "The media will hound you now."

"I figured as much," Kristine replied.

"Speak of the devil," Meeks saw Yenela approach him.

"Commander Meeks," Yenela acknowledged him. "Came here to personally congratulate the Kyar Twins, eh? Or is there something more to it? Are those badges I see? Oh, interesting developments indeed."

Meeks crossed his arms. "So what if they are?"

"Imagine the backlash if it went public," Yenela continued. "The debates. The talking points. The very legitimacy of the badges themselves. But don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. For now."

"I don't give a rattata's behind about my reputation," Meeks snarled.

"I wasn't referring to you," Yenela smirked. "I was talking about the twins. They just won the Power Duo. Inventum needs to digest that first."

"Like I said," Meeks turned to the twins and pointed at them. "Be careful of the media."

Meeks walked away, with Yenela being the sour note to an otherwise silent badge ceremony. She walked over to the twins. "I just want to congratulate the both of you personally. You've taken Richland Port by storm, and all of Inventum is stunned by your victory. Why don't you stop by our studio tomorrow morning and tell everyone a little bit about yourselves?"

Kristine turned to Jason once more. Jason was hesitant at first, but he gave a nod at his sister.

"Let's do it," she replied.

"Excellent," Yenela acknowledged. "We'll put you in a segment for tomorrow morning's rundown. It'll run at about nine o'clock in the morning. See you then!"

Yenela then swiftly departed.

"Live television, huh?" Jason contemplated.

"We are gaining a foothold in the Inventum League," Kristine added.

"I guess we are," Jason said. "But I'm trying to figure out what the heck just happened.

"Let's get back to the pokemon center and relax," Kristine suggested.

"Good idea," Jason agreed.

The twins made their way towards the VIP exit of the stadium. They were not hounded by the media, to their surprise.

"You'd think they'd be out here snapping photos of us," Kristine said.

Jason shook his head. "Either they're chasing the Donnovan Twins, or Meeks was right. The Power Duo is considered the minor leagues."

"You would think otherwise when so many people attended the battle."

"Think about it sis. You have some cash on you on a weekend night, what are you going to do?"

"You have a point," Kristine accepted. "I'm just starting to think that I like the spotlight."

"Yeah, well, the media can go bother someone else," Jason chuckled.

The twins went out a door disguised as a utility entrance to avoid large crowds gathering at that area. They walked along the sidewalk next to a street congested with vehicle traffic.

"So many cars," Jason seemed amazed by the endless array of vehicles barely moving due to bumper-to-bumper road congestion.

"So that's what they mean by traffic jam," Kristine looked on.

They continued walking, passing by numerous pedestrians along the way.

"Hey!" one male adult turned around, taking notice. "It's the kids who beat the Donnovan Twins!"

Jason and Kristine could see the attention suddenly shifting to them. People were turning to face them.

"Great job, dude!" another male adult gave Jason a high-five.

"Your espeon was on fire!" a female adult gave Kristine a high-five as well.

"Welcome to the coast!" a third male passed by. "Go easy on us now, okay?"

"See you in the big leagues in a couple years, huh?" a fourth male contemplated.

"Great job, Krystal!" a second female cheered as she briefly patted Kristine on the shoulder.

"But it's Kristine…" Kristine muttered, out of the woman's earshot. "And spelled with a k, but you probably got that wrong too."

"They'll get it right," Jason remained upbeat.

"Hey Jacob, good hustle out there my man!" a fifth male approached Jason for a fist bump. Jason put on a fake smile and gave him the fist bump.

"Eventually…" Jason sighed.

More fans congratulated the twins on occassion as they made their way back to the pokemon center. More than a dozen trainers resided in the lobby, likely anticipating the twins' arrival.

"You defeated the Donnovan Twins?" one girl, about the twins' age, stood up. "What's your training like? And your coordination techniques?"

"Uh," Kristine attempted to formulate a response.

"What was the Nappalchan Mountains like?" a boy asked.

Before the twins were bombarded with more questions, they saw a familiar face approach them, standing between them and the inquisitive trainers.

"Okay everyone," Julian stated. "Give them breathing room. You wouldn't want to be bombarded with questions after a hard fought victory either, would you?"

The room remained silent. Jason and Kristine made their way past the lobby and up the nearby staircase, with Julian right behind them.

"Hey, thanks man," Jason expressed his gratitude.

"Yeah no problem," Julian smiled. "The lobby went nuts when you guys won. To them, it was some pair of siblings taking down 'the' twins.

"Our pokemon really need the rest," Kristine replied. "Us too."

"No doubt about that," Julian said. By then, the twins arrived to the door of their room. "You have a good night, and congrats!"

"Thanks again," Jason said.

"Yeah, thanks!" Kristine added.

The twins proceeded inside their room as Julian departed.

"I wonder how long he will stick around?" Jason asked out of curiosity. "I wouldn't mind hanging out with him soon."

"My guess is at least until he gets the Power Badge, if he doesn't have it yet," Kristine gave a light shrug. She then walked over to the communications terminal, taking a seat in front of the desk. "It's time to call Mom."

Jason stood over his sister as she initiated the call. Veronica quickly answered as if she was anticipating the call.

"You have no idea how happy you've made me," Veronica spoke cheerfully.

"I can't believe we did it!" Kristine replied.

"Me neither!" Jason added. "It was nuts!"

"It looked like a close one," Veronica mentioned. "But you and your pokemon pulled it off. Remember what I'm going to tell you, because it will be important in the long run. Trainers are generally praised by the public for their coaching, coordination, and skills, but not so much their pokemon. Your pokemon are out there doing the work, doing the best they can to achieve victory and they will take defeats harder than anyone else. While you have people congratulating you, take a few moments to congratulate your pokemon, and continue to spend time with them. That's how you become a top tier professional trainer."

"We'll brief our pokemon," Jason assured her. "We've all earned this victory."

"Yes you have," Veronica nodded. "Do not forget Magikarp though. If he's as headstrong as you are, then you're going to have to give him a very good reason as to why you have not selected him to fight in the tournament."

"I'll give him the attention he needs," Jason said.

"There's one more thing," Kristine added, knowing it was necessary to tell their mom. "Meeks saw us after the battle. He gave each of us the Power Badge."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Veronica snickered. "He wouldn't have given you those badges if you didn't win tonight. Your father fought him when he was your age, and he still sticks with his raichu from what I've heard. It came down to Jolteon and Raichu, with Jolteon winning. Granted, they say Meeks was tougher back then."

"He told us we'd defeat him anyways," Jason said. "I'd rather fight him, personally."

"There's a thing you'll learn growing up called compromising," Veronica said. "Both of you have already done it to one degree or another and have not realized it yet. Pride defeats the ability to compromise. They say Meeks is too proud to retire, but he wouldn't have rewarded you the badges if that were the case. He saw the potential in both of you and the actions you have displayed tonight, and saw your skills were nothing short of deserving the Power Badge."

"I think we've earned it," Kristine said. "If Meeks and the Inventum League thought so, then I'm okay with it."

"You've earned it," Veronica added. "Now, take some time off and enjoy Richland Port. Keep in touch with me."

"Will do, Mom," Jason gave a nod.

"I love you both!" Veronica waved goodbye.

"Love you too!" the twins replied at the same time.

Veronica then cut the communications.

"I feel like Mom is our coach," Jason mentioned.

"She is our coach," Kristine turned to face her brother. "And a good one at that."

"No doubt about that."

"Let's get a good night's rest," Kristine suggested. "Remember, we have that live interview tomorrow."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "We should clear our minds too. Who knows what's going on television and the extranet right now."

"For sure."

* * *

The twins managed to get a decent amount of sleep before they had to get up the next morning. After putting on their full trainer apparel, they headed towards IPSN's headquarters in downtown Richland Port. It was a black steel building with a slanted roof, standing over twenty stories tall.

They entered a massive lobby with black tiling and white walls, bustling with business people. After passing a security checkpoint, they took an elevator up a dozen floors, and a coordinator directed them to a room with three chairs in the middle of sleek black flooring and walls. Camera crews had at least four angles covered, complete with stationary cameras and lighting.

"Okay," a female coordinator walked up to the two. "You two sit over here, and we'll make sure you're good to go for live TV."

"Huh?" Jason was curious to know what she meant. That was when a makeup artist grabbed his hand and dragged him to one of the seats. Another artist did the same for Kristine.

"What kind of lipstick do you prefer, dear," Kristine's makeup artist asked, presenting a palate of multiple colors.

"Uh," Kristine looked at the palate, dumbfounded. "I don't really wear makeup. I'm twelve."

"These are pokemon trainers, not models!" Yenela could be heard yelling from a distance. "We're putting them on TV as trainers!"

"As you say," the makeup artist walked away. The one tending to Jason did the same thing, but not without polishing up his face.

"She said my face was dirty," he said to Kristine.

Kristine chuckled at the comment.

"One minute to air," one of the cameramen informed Yenela.

"Good," Yenela acknowledged. "On schedule."

She walked over to the twins. "You're both in your trainer gear and have your pokeballs. Great. Quick, get Jolteon and Espeon out!"

"Um…" Jason was hesitant.

"Quickly now, it'll add more character to the both of you!" Yenela insisted.

"Alright," Jason pulled out his Pokeball. "Come on out, Jolteon,"

"You too, Espeon," Kristine brought out her pokemon.

Jolteon and Espeon looked around, not sure what to think of the situation. Espeon remained in place and sat down next to Kristine, while Jolteon paced back and forth.

"You're not going to get Jolteon to remain in one place," Jason faced Yenela.

Yenela looked at Jolteon and sighed. "Fine. We'll roll with it."

She sat down across from the twins and began clearing her throat.

"Twenty seconds," the cameraman informed. "Tom has begun the intro."

Yenela could hear the anchorman introducing the segment on her earpiece.

"Keep eye contact on me," Yenela informed the twins. "Eye contact with the camera makes it creepy."

Jason instinctively glanced at the camera because of that comment.

"Ten seconds," the cameraman said.

Jason and Kristine each took a deep breath. By then, Jolteon settled down and sat next to Jason.

Yenela smiled at that moment. "Good," she muttered.

"Five," the cameraman said, then held his fingers up, putting one down by the second.

Jason and Kristine focused on the hand. As soon as there was one finger left, they shifted their eyes to Yenela.

"Thanks Tom," Yenela spoke. "I'm here with the newest champs of the Power Duo, twins Jason and Kristine Kyar, along with their starter pokemon, Jolteon and Espeon."

Jason and Kristine both looked at the camera and waved briefly. Jolteon and Espeon looked around, curious as to what was going on.

"Jason and Kristine, let me say congratulations on your victory here," Yenela continued. "What do you have to say about your victory?"

"Thanks, Yenela," Kristine spoke, remembering to face Yenela. "Jason and I have trained with our pokemon every day for the past five or so months, and it really paid off for us."

"You came all the way from Mountain Spring," Yenela continued. "What were some of the challenges you faced getting to here?"

Jason and Kristine faced each other, and broke into a light laugh.

"We have all sorts of stories," Jason replied.

"I would have to say one of the biggest challenges was getting through day one," Kristine added. "I think we really matured on the first day alone. It took rolling down the hill and spraining my foot to come to that realization."

"I carried her all the way back up the hill," Jason chimed in.

"Oh my," Yenela replied. "So it would be safe to say you have each other's backs?"

"Always," Kristine and Jason said at the same time.

"Jason's headstrong," Kristine added, glancing at her brother. "But he's the type that never gives up. That pushes me to become a better trainer, and a better person, really. He always looks out for me."

"Kristine's the smartest and toughest person I know," Jason said with confidence without even glancing over. "If I can count on anyone, it's her."

"Some say the trust between you as twins would come natural," Yenela continued. "Would your adventures help build upon that trust?"

"Absolutely," Jason nodded.

"I can't replace him for the world," Kristine added. "I just can't imagine life without my twin, really."

"You've traveled 825 miles across the Nappalchan Mountains to get here," Yenela mentioned. "You made it clear that you didn't come from nowhere. What was the biggest challenge you had to face while trekking through the Mountains?"

"I came down with the flu one day," Jason said. "It got really bad. I lost all of my strength one day and collapsed." He faced Kristine, who looked back at him. "Kristine and our pokemon did everything they can to get me to a shelter in the middle of a snowstorm. If it weren't for them, I would have not made it."

"It was a difficult time," Kristine's voice became shaky. But she maintained her confidence, and cleared her throat with a smile. "But it's past us," she faced Yenela. "The important thing is that Jason made a full recovery, and we were able to continue with our dreams of competing in the Inventum League."

"I knew you had challenges to face, but never did I think you'd go through that," Yenela was taken back.

"Well, as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Jason snickered.

"Considering that you got kidnapped by a gastly, nearly drowned by Magikarp, and came down with the flu, no wonder why you're the strongest person I know," Kristine smiled.

"I bet we can have an entire one hour show of you two sharing your stories," Yenela chuckled. "But sadly, we must move on. We have picked some questions from our viewers for you to answer. Let's start with you, Jason."

"Okay," Jason leaned forward.

"The question was this: you registered only five pokemon for the Power Duo, with the only other person to do so was your sister. You two were the only ones without a full team. More so, you registered a magikarp into the tournament. Why?"

"I met Magikarp at Lake Serenity," Jason replied. "I told him that day that I would help him become the strongest magikarp around and help him along his way to evolving. Just because of who he is doesn't mean I'm not going to leave him out of anything. I train with him wherever I can, whenever I can, just like anyone else. He doesn't get any more or any less treatment than the rest of my team."

"Spoken like a top tier trainer," Yenela seemed impressed. "Kristine, here's one for you. Do you consider to be the smart one of the two?"

"Well," Kristine began to explain.

"Yes," Jason interrupted.

"No," Kristine argued.

"Yes," Jason insisted. "You're the smart one."

"I think we have two different approaches on intelligence," Kristine explained. "I'm the strategic thinker. Jason's the tactical thinker. I sit back and analyze the situation, while Jason tackles the situation head on."

"Would you say Jason's not giving himself enough credit?" Yenela asked.

"It wouldn't hurt to pat yourself on the back once in a while," Kristine snickered, facing Jason. "But you're a hard worker who gets things done, and I respect that."

"Thanks, sis," Jason leaned back.

"Last question for the both of you," Yenela continued. "You face eachother in the Inventum Cup. Who wins?"

Jason and Kristine looked right at each other.

"We're a long ways away from that," Jason spoke.

"We don't even have a full team right now," Kristine added.

"Okay, how about if you battled right now, who would win?" Yenela rephrased.

"Me," Jason and Kristine both said at the same time.

"But it would be a close one," Jason added.

"For sure," Kristine agreed. "But it's totally me."

Jason rolled his eyes in playful silent banter.

"So there is a rivalry going on," Yenela noticed.

"I guess you can say so," Kristine contemplated.

"Jason, Kristine, thank you very much for coming in today," Yenela closed. "Jason and Kristine will be continuing their adventure across Inventum. Needless to say, we should keep an eye on the newest pair of twins who are taking Inventum by storm. Back to you, Tom."

"And cut," the cameraman declared.

"You kids are burning with passion, I love it!" Yenela spoke as she got up. "And not bad handling the interview. You two are just adorable."

"So I guess we're famous now," Jason shrugged as he and Kristine got up.

"For now," Yenela nodded. "But you can drop off the face of the earth in no time. My suggestion? Keep getting those gym badges. Keep entering those tournaments. And who knows? Maybe I'll be there to interview you again."

* * *

Jason and Kristine walked back towards the lobby a short while later.

"So I think I know why Yenela is withholding what she knows about how we got the Power Badge," Kristine said.

"Yeah?" Jason seemed curious.

"She said we can drop off the face of the earth in no time," Kristine mentioned. "It's like she's holding that for the future."

"For what purpose?" Jason asked.

Kristine shrugged. "Dunno."

They walked past the main entryway, only to be greeted by a small crowd of cheering people outside the building. They were surprised to see a group of fans – perhaps no less than two dozen – stand outside to greet them. The twins noted from watching professional matches that fans often wore apparel or accessories of their favorite trainers, but in this case, all these fans could muster was a makeshift sign of a magikarp.

"You guys rock!" one male fan shouted.

"Keep kicking butt out there!" a teenage girl slightly older than the twins added.

A little girl of seven or eight years of age approached Kristine with a pen and notebook. "Miss Kristine, can I have your autograph?" she asked.

Kristine was speechless. She kneeled down to the girl's eyelevel a moment later. "Sure!"

Another moment struck her. She barely practiced cursive writing, nor has she really written her own signature before. But she wanted to make this one great. She knew the one thing she was much better than Jason at was handwriting, and now she could put that into use.

She wrote elegantly, writing her full name in as opposed to the initials, but both Ks dominated the rest of the letters in size. She swished the 'e' and the 'r' all the way to just below each 'K'.

Kristine handed back the pen and notebook to the girl. "Anything is possible out there. Just put in the effort, and you can do anything."

The girl smiled with gleaming joy. "Thanks!" She ran back towards the crowd.

Jason stood there, amazed to see the supporters and the makeshift sign of Magikarp. He and Kristine were able to get moving moments later, heading in the direction of the Pokemon Center.

"They'll say that Magikarp was registered in a tournament now," Jason contemplated with a smirk on his face. "A few weeks from now, they'll say he went out there. A few months, he was in the final round. A few years, he won it all for us."

Jason chuckled at his own remarks, but he didn't hear anything from his sister. He turned to face her, only to notice that her eyes were glassy and a tear was rolling down her cheek.

"Kristine," Jason got in front of her. "What's wrong?"

Kristine proceeded into a nearby alley for the sake of privacy and motioned Jason to follow her. She leaned back against the building behind her, sniffling. "We've never had that before. I've never had that before."

"What, the crowd?"

"Not just that," Kristine had another tear roll down her other cheek. "A little girl asked for my autograph. The way she smiled and acted was as if it was the best thing to ever happen to her."

She then looked away with a snicker. "Sorry, I guess I'm just getting too emotional."

"Hey," Jason placed his hand on her shoulder.

Kristine looked back at him.

"I understand," Jason smiled. "This is new to the both of us. The interviews, the fans, the fame. This is the result of how well we have done and our pokemon have done. The stadium alone was overwhelming to me at first. We have a responsibility as trainers, to be the very best and to inspire others to be the very best. It's okay to feel what you're feeling. But, to be honest, that might be nothing compared to what is coming. We have a long road ahead of us, sis."

Kristine cheered up, and smiled back. "And a bright one at that."

"Let's relax a little," Jason suggested. "And let's have some fun in town. Like shopping."

"But you hate to shop," Kristine laughed.

"You love it," Jason smirked. "Let's get you that outfit you wanted since before the tournament."

"Sweet, but you do know that I'm going to pick an outfit for you too, right?"

"Deal. I'm not very good at fashion to begin with."

"I have an idea for you. We have the money for it, I think."

The two walked back out on the street and proceeded towards the commercial district where the department store was.

"It's still there," Kristine gleamed with excitement as she put her hands on the glass display of the outfit she desired.

"I'm sure it's not going anywhere anytime soon," Jason chuckled.

Kristine practically bolted inside, and ran towards the left side where the women's trainer apparel resided. She grabbed several pairs of green tops with black outlines, as well as the tight black shorts that came with it. She even picked out the female cap that complimented the outfit, and tried it on. As soon as she saw that her ponytail fit perfectly trough the opening between the strap and the hat itself, she kept it on.

Moments later, she found a pair of shoes in the women's shoe aisle that she deemed perfect; green sneakers with a black streak going around them. She got several pairs of ankle-length white socks to complete her new look.

"Now," Kristine faced Jason with a smirk. "Your turn."

"What do you have planned?" Jason smirked back.

"Welllll," Kristine circled Jason once. "We've been wearing jeans for months. It's time to go to shorts."

"Won't argue with you there," Jason snickered.

"Shoes…" Kristine briefly looked down. "Black and dark blue would look good."

"Black and blue are my favorite colors."

"Then it's settled," Kristine looked at Jason in conclusion. She then stormed off towards the nearest escalator which would take her upstairs to the men's department.

Jason shrugged, and followed his sister up. Once they arrived, Kristine picked out several black shirts with blue stripes. She then picked up a nearby cap, primarily black with a blue outline, with the sigil of a white pokeball in the center.

"You need a hat," Kristine insisted. "Now pants."

"Can't I just go without pants?" Jason started cracking up.

Kristine simply rolled her eyes at him, and proceeded on.

"White cargo shorts," Kristine picked up several pairs with one arm, while holding her clothes with the other, and shoved them to Jason for him to hold. "Hmm…"

"What's up?" Jason asked.

"I feel like we need a stylish touch."

"Well, if we're dressing for warm, sunny weather, then why not sunglasses?"

"Jason, you're a genius!" Kristine stormed back to the escalator.

"Okay?" Jason followed her down back to the first floor.

Kristine led her brother to the sunglasses display area, where she immediately picked out a pair for herself. She then walked over to the men's sunglasses case and picked out a slick, silver coated modern look for Jason.

"Won't surprise me that you got a green coating for yours," Jason smiled.

"Green is the best color there is," Kristine stated as if it was a fact.

The two proceeded to check out, and it took several minutes for the cashier to ring them up.

"That'll be twenty one hundred dollars," the cashier smiled.

"I don't think I've ever seen that much being spent on clothes before," Jason was taken back.

"We usually get these shopping sprees when someone wins the Power Duo," the cashier replied.

"No kidding," Kristine laughed. "Money well spent. We'll be in warm weather for a while."

* * *

After checking out, the twins headed back to their room at the pokemon center.

"Once we leave this city, we have a whole lot of adventures ahead of us," Kristine said.

"Not to mention a whole lot of work to do," Jason added.

"I say we enjoy this city," Kristine suggested. "Let's take a break from traveling. Give our pokemon a break as well. Let's enjoy this city and for all it has to offer us."

"Only question is, for how long?" Jason asked.

Kristine shrugged.

Jason smiled. "Okay, indefinite sounds like a good timeframe."

"Taking an indefinite vacation, huh?" Kristine pondered.

"At least until we feel refreshed and ready to head to Raley City," Jason replied. "Still gotta get those badges, you know."

"All right," Kristine gave a nod. "We stay here indefinitely! There's tournaments, landmarks, and markets to go around here, too."

"Good," Jason smiled. "And who knows? Maybe we'll add a sixth Pokémon to ur teams while we're here.

"Anything is possible," Kristine added. "Once we're ready to go, the coast will get our names right for sure!"

"We have to keep improving," Jason said. "It's only going to get tougher from here."

"You got that right. But you know slogan."

"All the way!" Jason enthusiastically spoke.

"All the way!" Kristine repeated.

* * *

It was a sunny day over Cheron Forest. As a matter of fact, those in the forest would swear the pokemon move Sunny Day was in effect. The weather was warmer than usual, with the ordinary crisp breeze giving way to weather patterns resembling that of a heat wave.

But Cheron Forest wasn't a stranger to recent unusual occurrences. First there was the gastly migration. Most had moved further east and north within the past couple months. Recently, there was the diglett migration, though experts predicted they were just making their way towards the Nappalchan Mountains, where they could thrive. The exact reason for these migrations were still rendered unknown, but theories formulated.

No one could have predicted the scale of the next migration. Within the foothills overlooking Cheron Forest emerged dozens of weary fire type pokemon. The migration herd included various species such as ponyta, rapidash, vulpix, growlithe, magby, magmar, torkoal, charmander, cyndaquil, torchic, and pansear. They all made their way down the hills and into the forest.

The first trainers to encounter these pokemon seemed startled. Anything they may do that would upset a fire type pokemon could be catastrophic for the entire forest. The trainers did the smartest thing they could do and alerted nearby Team Mystic rangers.

The early consensus was to give the fire pokemon room to expand, and not to provoke them. Still, if they wanted to inhabit the forest, it could forever change the entire landscape. The fire pokemon seemed to be left alone for the moment, but soon enough, the herd fanned out, and some expanded into territories claimed by other pokemon.

A magmar, for instance, wandered alone deep into Cheron Forest. Starving, perhaps not having eaten in days, he came across a tree ripe with fresh apples. He walked over and shook the tree.

A pineco suddenly fell from the tree and bonked the magmar on the head. The magmar jumped back, startled, as his right fist glowed bright in flames.

"Pineco pineco pineco!" the pineco seemed displeased.

"Mag magmar mag!" the magmar demanded the apples.

"Pine pineco!" the pineco rejected.

This angered the desperate magmar. "Magmar!" he shot out a stream of flames at the pineco.

The pineco simply rolled out of the way, but the flames struck the apple tree head on. The tree quickly caught on fire.

"Mag!" the magmar attempted to jump up to retrieve the apples before they become burned by his own doing.

Moments later, flames engulfed the apple tree. Both the magmar and pineco had fled the scene as the flames spread to nearby trees and bushes. A crisis had begun, but it was only the beginning.

Other fires began to spread throughout Cheron Forest due to recklessness or provocations involving fire pokemon. Within a few hours, Cheron Forest had already become devastated by a series of massive wildfires threatening to merge into something that could result in a total ecological collapse. One of Inventum's greatest landmarks was in peril, and only a handful of Team Mystic Rangers and trainers on site could do anything about it…

 **A/N: I know this chapter took a little while to roll out compared to most other chapters. I'll be falling back to focusing on releases once a week, and I'll try my best to stick with it. That might be a bit tricky to pull off for the next couple weeks because I'm moving in the next several days. It's been my goal to finish this fanfic and I would say that this chapter ends the first 'arc' of the story. The second arc will, of course, take the twins through the coastal subregion of Inventum and I'm looking forward to writing it because there are so many ideas, not to mention opportunities for character development, and, wait for it, evolutions.**

 **Also thanks for your support. From offering suggestions to leaving following to providing feedback, it is all appreciated. Of course, I will continue to be open to suggestions and feedback.**


	28. In Your Element

**Here's a new chapter at last! I seriously underestimated the process of moving and getting situated IRL. I do my best to write on a daily basis, even if it's just a page. Anyways, here's the first chapter of the second 'arc'!**

Fires raged intensely throughout Cheron Forest. Many local pokemon were already displaced, and trainers were fleeing the unfolding disaster. The trainers present in the forest were ill equipped to combat the flames, doing everything they can to get to safety.

For one twelve year old trainer with blonde hair reaching down to her upper back, she found herself running from rapidly spreading flames as trees and bushes became incinerated one by one. She wore a yellow t-shirt and black jeans, disbanding her pink backpack in order to run faster. She had three pokeballs attached to her belt, and she wanted to do everything she could to keep the pokemon inside safe.

As she continued to run from the flames behind her, she noticed fires from a distance from her left and right. She felt as if the flames were boxing her in. The fires were producing an immense amount of smoke, and were sucking the oxygen away. The trainer found it harder to breathe, but she knew she had to make it out for her safety and that of her pokemon.

She was running out of air as she continued running. Then, she tripped over a root belonging to a massive tree.

"Agh!" she tumbled over twice. As she tried to get up, she quickly stumbled back down in pain. She figured she had twisted her ankle, and she could not have timed that any worse.

She faced the flames and used her arms to push herself backwards. She was amazed as to how quickly the flames were advancing. The sky was bright red, and the burning smell was too much to bare. It was, to her, as if the world was suddenly coming to an end.

"Really, I've been a trainer for three weeks and this happens!?" she yelled in frustration.

One of her pokemon projected itself from its pokeball.

"Totodile, no!" the trainer commanded. "Get back in!"

"Toto!" Totodile faced the towering flames, using Water Gun in efforts to combat it. But it had practically no effect.

"Totodile!" Totodile kept using Water Gun.

"Ugh," the trainer sighed. "It's no use!"

Suddenly, she could hear what she thought was some sort of motor in the sky, pulsating as if blades were slapping against the air.

"Is that a…helicopter?" she wondered.

The sound became louder. It was approaching her and Totodile.

"There better be a blastoise in that chopper!" the trainer hoped.

The helicopter approached her position and made a pass. It was quite large, bigger than the media helicopters or even the ranger patrol ones used in remote areas. Streams of water shot out from both sides of the chopper, aiming at the flames below. They were stalling the flames, at the very least.

"Oh thank goodness!" the trainer breathed a sigh of relief.

The chopper made a close pass. The trainer looked up and saw the sigil of Team Mystic towards the tail rotor. She caught glimpses of water pokemon, a vaporeon and a staryu, combating the flames.

She suddenly began coughing. The smoke became too much for her to handle. The helicopter then began to hover over her, water still shooting out from the sides. A single rope descended from the helicopter, as a man in blue protective gear and an oxygen mask safely dropped down towards her.

He landed on the ground, and glanced at Totodile. "Recall him, now!"

"Sure thing!" the trainer recalled Totodile. She faced the man, who had short blond hair nearly to a buzz.

The man handed her an oxygen mask. "Put it around your mouth and nose. Once I lift you up, grab onto me, and don't let go!"

"Don't have to say that twice!" the trainer did as she was told.

Once the man picked her up, she wrapped her arms around his torso. The helicopter ascended, with the rope being pulled back in. The trainer was happy to escape the flames, being saved by a mysterious man from Team Mystic. Once the rope pulled the two back into the helicopter, the trainer began to laugh, doing her best to not think about the pain in her foot.

"That was close!" she breathed another sigh of relief. "Thanks for saving me!"

"No problem, kid," the man replied, removing his mask. "Name's Bradley, Team Mystic ranger. And you probably know her."

Bradley looked towards Aria, who was also wearing blue protective gear.

"You're Aria!" the trainer knew who she was.

"And you're pretty lucky," Aria smiled. "Vaporeon and Staryu managed to hold the flames pretty well, but it's going to take us a while to muster a line of pokemon to kill these flames."

"Get all your water pokemon and the flames won't stand a chance!" Don, who was piloting the helicopter, yelled from the cockpit.

"Yeah, but we need to save trainers first!" Aria replied. "Not to mention the wild pokemon."

"Take a moment to relax, kid," Bradley suggested to the trainer. "What's your name?"

"Skyler," the trainer responded.

"Same name as my cousin," Aria remarked.

"So where did the fire pokemon come from?" Skyler asked.

"From the west most likely," Bradley explained. "There's an area known as the Cinders, where fire pokemon inhabited for decades, until recently. We don't know why a lot of them ended up here."

"What are we going to do about them?"

"As long as they remain here, they're going to be a problem to the ecosystem," Aria replied. "And if they stay here for too long, Cheron Forest will tend up like the Cinders. Only thousands of pokemon would be killed or displaced."

Bradley grew a smirk, holding an empty pokeball. "Once we gain back ground in the forest, we go all out capture-and-release. It's open season on them!"

* * *

Dawn rose over Richland Port. It was a new day, with the sun shining over a cloudless sky. For Jason and Kristine, it was a new day of exploration, and a new chapter in their journeys as pokemon trainers.

They both got ready for the day, changing in separate rooms within their suite inside the Richland Port Pokemon Center. They put on the gear they recently purchased following their triumph in the Power Duo. Jason had put on a black shirt with a blue outline on each side, a cap of the same pattern, and white cargo shorts. Kristine had a green shirt with black stripes on each side, black shorts, and a visor to compliment her overall look.

Keeping most of their equipment inside their suite, they both only armed themselves with their pokeballs and bottles of water. They recently declared an 'indefinite vacation' inside Richland Port, and would move on once they feel refreshed and ready.

"Ready to go, sis?" Jason asked once he entered the living area of the suite.

"You know it!" Kristine replied with enthusiasm.

The two walked out of their suite in their new trainer gear. They walked downstairs towards the main lobby of the pokemon center. Their cheerful morning would soon have an unexpected sour note, however.

The big screen television in the lobby was tuned to something very important at first glance. The twins could make out the big text "Breaking News" below what appeared to be a massive wildfire. They approached closer to the television and four trainers who surrounded it.

They all happened to be Julian, Amanda, Liz, and Bran. Initially, it appeared to be one big coincidence that all of the twins' rivals, with the exception of Alex, were glued to the television screen. Once they realized what was going on, they noticed it wasn't entirely coincidental.

"Cheron Forest…" Amanda leaned forward on her seat, her eyes glassy.

"Where did all the fire pokemon come from?" Liz asked, standing up with her arms crossed.

"There's a place out west called The Cinders," Bran mentioned. "But it would have taken days, if not weeks to make it to the Forest."

"Didn't that place used to be a forest of its own like fifty years ago?" Julian asked. "Do the fire pokemon just want a bigger home or something?"

The twins approached the gang, shocked by what was going on.

"Oh my gosh!" Kristine gasped. "Cheron Forest!"

"We were there," Jason added. "We were all there."

Amanda briefly looked around. "Seems why we appear to be the only ones who care. That place was beautiful, and close to home!"

"Not to mention most of us, if not all of us, caught pokemon there," Kristine said.

Bran gave a nod. "It's their homes burning, too."

"But Team Mystic is there in force!" Julian watched on.

"And Team Tranquility," Liz added. "Most Teams have offered assistance."

"So the fires will be out in no time, right?" Amanda tried to remain optimistic.

"Then what?" Liz speculated.

"It'll take a while for the Forest to recover," Bran predicted.

"They'll get it done," Jason was sure of it. "Aria's tough. They'll fight the fires and relocate all the fire pokemon."

"I just hope they'd be safe," Kristine looked on.

"Yep. Not like we can do much about it being a thousand miles away," Liz began to depart.

"Hey, what are you guys' plans?" Kristine asked.

Liz stopped and turned around. "Exploring the city for a bit, of course!"

"That's what we plan on doing too," Jason replied.

"I think we all need a break from the action," Julian said.

Bran got up. "Yeah, and I need to get the Power Badge, too."

"You don't have the Power Badge, Bran?" Amanda asked.

"Haven't attempted it yet," Bran shrugged.

"He'll get to it when he's ready," Liz added.

"Yeah," Bran chuckled. "I have two new additions to my team. I want to figure out the best strategy before I challenge Meeks."

"Honestly? Type advantage," Liz explained. "Phanpy took care of Raichu with no problem."

"I don't have a ground type," Bran responded.

"I want to find a way to train my pokemon effectively here," Jason mentioned.

"Well," Amanda got up. "I've heard of a facility here where many people go to compete."

"Is that the one where you train pokemon moves they don't otherwise learn on their own?" Julian asked.

Amanda nodded. "It's called _In Your Element_."

"Come on now, they're not known for being competitively serious," Liz shook her head.

"Well it's also critically acclaimed for teaching useful and situational moves, as well as 'coverage' moves to throw off your opponent." Amanda argued.

"I see your point. Still, I'll have to think about it before I decide to go there. Anyways, I'm gonna go chill in the park and see what I can find."

"See ya!" Kristine waved goodbye.

"Later," Jason added.

"Anyways," Amanda continued. "It's worth checking it out. Anyone wanna come with?"

"Why not?" Julian accepted without hesitation.

Kristine noticed the cute smile Amanda gave following Julian's response.

"I'm in," Bran said.

"Well," Kristine faced Jason. "What do you think?"

"I guess there's pros and cons to everything," Jason replied. "I see Liz's point."

"For someone with a deceptive approach to battling, I guarantee you she'll come around," Kristine noted.

"Yeah," Jason gave a nod. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"I'm not saying you should teach Riolu Flamethrower or anything like that."

Jason pondered the thought, which Kristine took notice.

"Oh dear," Kristine rolled her eyes. She then turned towards Amanda. "We're in, I think."

"Good!" Amanda acknowledged.

"Definitely can use this as a way to take my mind off of Cheron Forest," Julian said.

"Don't have to say that twice," Bran agreed.

* * *

A short while later, the five trainers walked towards the entertainment district of the city.

"So," Amanda looked at Jason and Kristine, walking backwards and ahead of the gang. "What's it like having your faces on Inventum TV?"

"It's different," Kristine replied. "I mean, really cool, though."

"It feels weird seeing yourself on television, I think," Jason added.

"Yeah? Must be awesome winning a tournament the way you did."

"Honestly? Meeks should have just given you those badges right then and there," Julian said.

Jason chuckled. "Yeah. About that."

"Wait, he really did do that, did he?" Julian seemed surprised nonetheless.

"Dang. Not every day a Gym Leader does something like that," Amanda said. "Not that I don't disagree. But may I ask, why is this somewhat on the down low?"

"It's not like we lied about it," Jason shrugged.

"Well, think about it from a PR standpoint," Amanda suggested. "What if news gets out weeks, even months from now, that you were handed those badges?"

"It's not like we were given them without putting in effort," Kristine defended.

"I understand that," Amanda smiled. "But think about it from other people's perspectives. They're not going to correlate winning the Power Duo with getting the Power Badge. Well, some will, but some will not. And some will feel cheated, especially since this was never clarified."

"What should they do about it?" Bran asked.

"Damage control, I guess," Amanda shrugged. "Meeks should have made a statement about it, to be honest. But he distrusts the media and doesn't see it as a purposeful resource."

"I don't expect someone as old as he is to understand modern media," Julian chimed in.

"I see someone like Yenela, who interviewed us, as opportunistic," Kristine said. "Also, she knows we were given the Power Badge."

"That's an issue," Amanda became concerned.

"Well, live and learn, I guess," Jason concluded.

"Hey," Kristine looked at Amanda. "When this is all said and done, maybe you should be in media relations!"

"I would love something like that," Amanda spoke with enthusiasm. "I want to start blogging my adventures through Inventum. Some trainers have done it."

The gang approached a wide, dark red four-story building. A digital sign hanging over the front entrance read "In Your Element". They headed inside, only to be greeted by three people behind the lobby counter.

"Fresh faces!" a bald man in his 20s greeted. "You here to help your pokemon reach their untapped potential?"

"Sure!" Amanda replied.

"Great," a woman with red hair in a ponytail acknowledged. "We have multiple training and battle facilities. We're best known for having pokemon learn moves they usually won't learn on their own. That doesn't mean they can learn literally any move, though. Just hence the untapped potential."

"Think of it as expanded strategy," the third person, a man with long hair extending to his shoulders, added. "More options to choose from. Not to mention, some pokemon have access to abilities your opponent would never expect."

"How does it work?" Kristine asked.

"Years ago, it would have been called technical machines," the first man replied. "It came in forms of floppy discs, CDs, projectors, even old ancient stuff. Now everything's digital. Pokemon are very visual creatures. They see something they can learn, chances are they'll learn it if you allow them to. Not to mention battles."

"Can I teach my magikarp any moves?" Jason asked.

"Magikarp is incapable of learning anything other than Tackle, Splash, and Flail, right?" Bran chimed in.

The woman shook her head. "Have you ever seen a magikarp bounce high into the air and KO a pokemon?"

"Let's make it happen!" Jason became excited at the very thought.

"All right," the second man chuckled. "So it's going to be $25. Each."

"Wait, what?" Amanda seemed surprised. "This costs money to enter?"

"Well, yeah, we're a private establishment and a LLC," the woman replied.

"What's that?" Jason asked.

"Oh, it's legal stuff," she chuckled as well. "You'll understand it when you get older."

"Well, everyone pay up," Julian said as he got his money ready.

As soon as everyone paid in full, they were allowed to walk past the lobby. They stood in awe before a multi-level complex, complete with different themed training and battle floors. They spanned from rocky terrain to giant pools for water pokemon. Other fields were enclosed, immersed in augmented reality. The twins believed that was where pokemon trained to learn new moves.

"What should we do first?" Kristine pondered.

"Well, I'll hit the training floor," Bran said. "I need to be prepared for Meeks."

"I like that rocky terrain," Julian said. He faced Amanda. "Wannna join me?"

"Sure!" Amanda happily accepted.

As the three others departed, Jason and Kristine looked above.

"Maybe we should learn new moves?" Jason asked.

"Doesn't hurt," Kristine replied.

The two headed upstairs using a nearby spiral staircase, passing the second floor and entering the third floor. There, they could see trainers immersed in augmented reality, their pokemon learning moves in a virtual environment.

"Wonder how this works," Kristine became curious.

Jason could also see trainers battling eachother. A female trainer's raticate used Thunderbolt to defeat her male opponent's poliwrath.

"Raticate using Thunderbolt?" Jason was intrigued.

"She used his poliwrath as a double edged sword," Kristine observed. "Raticate is weak to fighting types, but Thunderbolt was used as a ruse of sorts."

"Hmm," Jason tried to formulate ideas. He then spotted a training floor with a pool of water. "I can't leave Magikarp out of this."

"Alright, let's split up," Kristine suggested. "Maybe we can battle some of these trainers too."

"Sounds good," Jason gave a nod.

As Kristine departed, Jason entered the trainer's room with the pool at the center. Only one other trainer was inside, training with his nuzleaf. A digital display on the wall where they were training featured a machamp using brick break. The trainer's nuzleaf took mental notes, practicing and mastering the fighting type move.

"Hmm," Jason still wondered how exactly it worked. He approached the pool.

"Alright, let's go, Magikarp," he released Magikarp from his pokeball.

Jason was expecting Magikarp to be ready to go, eager for training and possibly learning a new move. Instead, he got a glaring look as Magikarp splashed in frustration.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp snapped.

"Wha- what's the matter?" Jason asked.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp did not relent.

"Hey!" the trainer, a boy not too much older than Jason, took notice. He had dark skin, and wore a plain green t-shirt and black cargo shorts. "You're that Kyar twin! You're the one who registered that magikarp in the tournament, and still won. Not like you used him, but pretty sweet, anyways!"

"Yeah," Jason chuckled. "Thanks."

Then it quickly hit him. He realized why Magikarp was upset.

"Oh, you wanted to fight in the Power Duo, didn't you?" Jason asked.

"Karp!" Magikarp affirmed.

"Oh, man, I'm sorry," Jason sincerely apologized. "Look, it was wrong of me to not include you in the battles. But listen, I've heard you can learn a move called Bounce. And I would like to train you to learn that. Plus, I'll find a competition going on in this city, and we will compete together. Does that sound good?"

"Karp," Magikarp remained cautiously optimistic. It appeared to Jason that Magikarp would only believe him if he saw actual progress.

"Alright, let's train!" Jason continued.

"Scanning pokemon," an automated voice was heard overhead. Jason was slightly startled as he failed to find the origin of the female-like voice. It appeared to be an artificial intelligence imbedded within the training field.

"We have nothing like this back at home," Jason was amazed.

"Magikarp identified," the AI observed. "Magikarp is only able to learn the move Bounce. Would you like to learn this move?"

"Yes!" Jason responded.

"Bounce," the AI continued. "It's a predominant flying type move. The pokemon uses its strength to bounce high into the air, forcefully striking its target. It is known to sometimes leave the target with paralysis."

"Now how do we-" Jason began to wonder, but just then, the floor around him changed.

"Karp?" Magikarp became curious.

A digital projection appeared before Magikarp from thin air. The floor, walls, and ceiling shifted towards augmented reality, revealing a digital recreation of grassy terrain and a cloudy sky.

"Woah," Jason became mesmerized. "Definitely like nothing back at home."

The digital projection manifested, revealing another magikarp.

"Karp!" the magikarp used its might to propel itself out of the water and high into the air.

"Karp," Magikarp observed his digital counterpart.

The digital magikarp slammed back against the water before bouncing high into the air again.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp powered himself out of the water, but only bounced a quarter of the distance of the digital projection.

"You got this, Magikarp!" Jason cheered him on.

"Magi!" Magikarp maintained his focus. He used his strength to propel himself out of the water. This time, he made half the distance of the digital projection, falling backwards into the water.

"Karp!" Magikarp turned right side up, poised to go again.

"I believe in you!" Jason encouraged him. "Let's do it!"

"KARP!" Magikarp powered himself out, mustering more strength than before. He rocketed high into the air, even matching the digital projection's distance, to Jason's amazement.

"Go for the landing!" Jason yelled.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp took a noise dive towards the pool.

"On your side for maximum effect!" Jason instructed.

"Karp!" Magikarp made a forceful impact on his side against the water. The result was a major splash that ended up soaking Jason.

Jason stood there, laughing despite being drenched. "Good job, Magikarp!"

"Karp karp!" Magikarp cheered.

"You've taught Magikarp Bounce in a matter of minutes?" the boy on the other end of the training room asked, approaching Jason.

"I guess we did," Jason chuckled.

"Then I wonder what you can accomplish with your other pokemon," the boy added.

"Considering I have never used Magikarp in the Power Duo, I want him to feel involved in everything we do," Jason said.

"See, trainers don't do that with their magikarp, then they get confused when their gyarados refuse to obey them after they evolve," the boy snickered.

Jason smiled. "All part of a great vision."

"Well, you are new here, right?" the boy asked.

Jason nodded.

"There's a water pokemon tournament at the beach held weekly," the boy continued. "Many trainers compete to win there, but maybe you can surprise them with your magikarp."

"Karp!" Magikarp looked at Jason with determination.

"I think that's a good idea," Jason replied with confidence. He then faced Magikarp. "Let's do it, and win the whole thing!"

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp splashed around.

"Name's Derrick, by the way," the boy extended his hand to Jason. "Raley City's my home. I have two badges so far."

"Nice to meet you," Jason shook Derrick's hand.

"Nuzleaf is my partner in crime," Derrick continued. "When I was younger, I saved him when he was a seedot in a middle of a storm. The professor let me use him as a starter. Here are the others that I've caught."

Derrick threw out three pokeballs, revealing his team.

"Slowpoke!" Slowpoke greeted before yawning.

"Inkay!" Inkay floated in the air.

"Voltorb!" Voltorb rolled its way before Jason.

"Spent a lot of time on the beaches," Derrick added. "That's how I got the first two. I caught Voltorb right here in this city, as a matter of fact. Just kind of rolled around."

"Awesome," Jason replied. "Here's my team."

He pulled out his four pokeballs and released them.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon barked.

"Swellow!" Swellow greeted.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia gave an elegant bow.

"Riolu!" Riolu crossed his arms with a smile.

"So that's the team that won the Power Duo," Derrick looked at Jason's pokemon.

"Half the team, anyways," Jason said. "Couldn't have done it without my sister and her pokemon."

"Hey," the boy began to suggest. "You should have your pokemon learn new moves!"

"That's the plan!" Jason gave a nod. He faced his pokemon. "You ready for some training?"

All pokemon shouted their names, eager to get started.

* * *

"Thatta girl, Espeon!" Kristine cheered, seeing Espeon successfully creating a colorful barrier in front of her.

"Espeon!" Espeon felt accomplished, having learned Reflect.

Pika!" Pikachu created a rainbow barrier in front of himself, learning Light Screen.

"Now I have excellent defenses for upcoming battles." Kristine smiled.

Kristine had all five of her pokemon out. Espeon, Pikachu, Flecthinder, Machop, and Snorunt were all training for new moves under the watchful eye of their trainer.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt projected a protective barrier in front of herself.

"Good job learning Protect!" Kristine cheered Snorunt on. "That'll stop some powerful attacks!"

"Fletch!" Fletchinder dove down, leaving a trail of flames in his wake.

"Flame Charge, all right!" Kristine looked on with excitement.

"Machop!" Machop's hand glowed white as he made what appeared to be a Karate Chop.

"And we have Brick Break!" Kristime seemed satisfied.

"Hey!" she heard a voice of a boy behind her. "You're the girl twin who won the Power Duo!"

"That would be me," Kristine turned around to face a boy with short, spiky blond hair who was wearing a yellow t-shirt and blue jeans.

"I want to face a trainer who is from far away," the boy continued. "Let's battle, 1v1!"

"Well," Kristine crossed her arms with a smirk. "I believe we're down to battle!"

All of Kristine's pokemon shouted their names in approval.

"Hehehe," the boy smirked. "I'm a regular here. I have a year-round pass!"

"They have those?" Kristine asked, intrigued. "Must be a popular place."

"Oh it is," the boy replied. "It's slow today."

"All right," Kristine tried to decide which pokemon should be chosen.

"Tell you what," the boy took some steps back. "Let's make it fair and easy for you because I know your entire team. I'm going to use Machop. And I'll let you make the first move!"

"Sounds good to me!" Kristine accepted.

"Well, I hope you want to have a mirror match!" the boy threw his first pokeball. "Let's go, Chopper!"

"Machop!" the boy's pokemon, as Kristine assumed was nicknamed Chopper, was summoned.

"Machop!" Kristine's companion pounded his chest, implicating he was ready to go.

 _I'd use Fletchinder or Espeon for the type advantage,_ she thought. _But Machop looks like he wants to fight another machop._

Kristine looked at Machop and gave him a nod. "It's showtime, pal!"

"Machop!" Machop stepped forward.

"Battle detected," the AI stated. "Machop versus Machop."

"You go first!" the boy said.

"All right," Kristine faced Machop. "Use Foresight!"

"Machop!" Machop entered a battle stance, identifying his opponent's weakness.

"Hehehe," the boy began to smirk. "Watch this! Chopper, use Sunny Day!"

"Machop!" Chopper's eyes glew fiery red, raising his arms in the air as the battlefield became suddenly warmer.

"What? Your machop knows Sunny Day?" Kristine seemed puzzled.

"Look it up," the boy replied. "It's a list of things Machop can learn. Also this!"

He faced his pokemon. "Flamethrower!"

"Chop!" Chopper shot out a stream of flames from his mouth.

"Quick, slide underneath!" Kristine called out instinctively.

"Machop!" Machop ran forward and slid beneath the powerful flames.

"Wha?" the boy seemed startled. "No one really knows how to react to that!"

"Thinking on the fly is my middle name!" Kristine spoke with confidence. "Attack Chopper with Karate Chop!"

"Low Sweep!" the boy reacted.

"Chop!" Chopper spun around three hundred sixty degrees with his leg out, knocking Machop to the ground.

"Machop!" Kristine yelled.

"Can't avoid this!" the boy followed up. "Flamethrower!"

"Chop!" Chopper unleashed powerful flames at Machop.

 _Chopper is a dominant physical attacker,_ Kristine thought. _In the grand scheme of things, Sunny Day is the only reason Flamethrower can be of any real threat._

"Fight through Flamethrower and use Vital Throw!" Kristine commanded.

"Machop!" Machop got up, bracing the full force of Flamethrower. Using his arm to shield his face from the flames, he charged at Chopper, grabbing onto him. He violently tossed Chopper across the field, causing him to crash and tumble right before his trainer.

"Chopper! Get up!" the boy encouraged.

"Machop!" Chopper got right up, ready to go.

"Machop!" Machop looked a little weary, suffering from Low Sweep and Flamethrower head on.

"Attack Chopper with Karate Chop!" Kristine yelled.

"Machop!" Machop charged at Chopper.

"Run forward and use Flamethrower!" the boy responded.

"Machop!" Chopper closed in on Machop, firing a stream of flames.

"Jump up!" Kristine followed up.

Machop jumped high into the air to avoid Flamethrower, descending down on Chopper with Karate Chop at the ready.

"Chop!" Machop struck Chopper head on. Chopper fell on one knee, suffering from a powerful Karate Chop.

"Low Sweep! Get him away!" the boy barked.

"Machop!" Chopper swung around with his other leg, forcing Machop to back away.

"We have him!" Kristine said. "Charge in with Brick Break!"

"Machop!" Machop charged Chopper once more, his hand glowing.

"Hehehe," the boy smirked. "Match it with Brick Break, Chopper!"

"Machop!" Chopper's hand also glowed bright white.

The two collided, both locked in a struggle of strength.

"Flamethrower!" the boy seemed sure victory was imminent.

"Chop!" Chopper used Flamethrower at point blank, engulfing the upper half of Machop's body.

"Ma…" Machop was charred as he fell over, unable to continue.

"Machop is unable to battle," the AI declared. "Machop wins."

"Machop!" Kristine ran over to her pokemon. "Are you okay?"

"Machop…" Machop slowly got up.

"Chop!" Chopper, appearing very weary from the fight, bowed towards Machop.

"Machop," Machop bowed back, though Kristine knew he was going to be hard on himself from the defeat.

"You had me scared there!" the boy commended Kristine. "I see why you're a formidable trainer."

"You're pretty good yourself," Kristine gracefully replied. "It's not every day you come across a pokemon with an unorthodox move set."

"Whether or not the pros say it's viable, I couldn't care less," the boy smiled. "It's about having fun. And if you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong."

"Agreed, a thousand percent."

"Name's Perry," the boy introduced himself.

"Kristine. Nice to meet you," Kristine smiled. "Don't suppose I'll be seeing you more often?"

"As long as you're around the coast," the boy replied. "I don't think I'm ready for a big adventure across the mountains. Not from what I've heard in your interview. Doesn't sound like fun to me."

"Fair enough."

"But if there's tournaments that I can qualify for, why not? I'll be there."

"Then perhaps we will battle again someday," Kristine began to depart, recalling all of her pokemon. "You have a nice day, Perry!"

"Yeah, you too!" Perry waved goodbye.

It wasn't long after Kristine left the training floor when she bumped into Jason.

"Oh, hey bro," she said. "How'd it go?"

"Pretty good!" Jason spoke with optimism. "Got everyone to learn something new."

"Any good moves?"

"Yeah! Jolteon learned Wild Charge, Swellow learned Steel Wing, Kirlia learned Protect, and Magikarp even learned Bounce!"

"Nice! And Riolu?"

"Shadow Claw," Jason spoke without any positive emotion.

"You seem unsure about it."

"Yeah, because Shadow Claw is a ghost move. And it's a bit creepy when he uses it."

"Well, it'll catch opponents off guard, that's for sure!" Kristine smiled. "You must've thought it was really necessary for him to learn it."

"True. Anyways, how did your training go?"

"Pretty good! A lot of protective moves plus some extra firepower. I faced a boy with a machop of his own."

"And?"

"I used Machop, of course."

"And?"

"He knew Flamethrower. And Sunny Day."

"And? Did you win?"

"Not quite."

"You know Machop's gonna train himself extra harder."

"Yeah. We have to be ready for major curveballs."

* * *

Back at the pokemon center, the twins were planning out what to do next in their room.

"So there's a water pokemon tournament going on tomorrow," Jason browsed through the computer terminal. "I want to enter Magikarp in it. But I know you don't have a water type."

"Well," Kristine approached Jason. "It might be good for us to split up and do our own things."

"You sure about that?" Jason faced his sister.

"Why not?" Kristine smiled. "I'm sure you want to do your own things, and I have mine. Enter that water tournament! I'll go have fun at the beach."

"Okay," Jason smiled back. "I'll battle with Magikarp, and anyone who takes us lightly will be sadly mistaken!"

* * *

 **Jason's Pokemon:**

 **Jolteon: Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Pin Missile, Agility. Special Ability: Volt Absorb**

 **Swellow: Supersonic, Steel Wing, Aerial Ace, Quick Attack. Special Ability: Guts**

 **Kirlia: Future Sight, Protect, Heal Pulse, Confusion. Special Ability: Synchronize**

 **Riolu: Brick Break, Endure, Reversal, Shadow Claw. Special Ability: Inner Focus**

 **Magikarp: Splash, Tackle, Flail, Bounce. Special Ability: Swift Swim**

 **Kristine's Pokemon:**

 **Espeon: Psybeam, Calm Mind, Reflect, Swift. Special Ability: Magic Bounce**

 **Fletchinder: Flame Charge, Razor Wind, Aerial Ace, Agility. Special Ability: Gale Wings**

 **Pikachu: Spark, Light Screen, Electro Ball, Double Team. Special Ability: Static**

 **Machop: Foresight, Karate Chop, Vital Throw, Brick Break. Special Ability: Guts**

 **Snorunt: Protect, Double Team, Icy Wind, Bite. Special Ability: Ice Body**


	29. I, Magikarp

Dawn rose over Richland Port. The ocean was calm, as a gentle breeze kicked in. It was a perfect day to visit the beach. And for the twins, it was their first time ever visiting a beach.

"I love it!" Kristine embraced the environment. She wore a green bikini top to go along with her black shorts. "The smell of the ocean, the white sand, the people here. There's a lot of good energy going on!"

Jason, wearing a black t-shirt with his blue trunks, looked around. There seemed to be hundreds of beach goers. Many were relaxing or playing with their pokemon on the sand, while others were in the water.

He chuckled, slightly overwhelmed by the amount of people and activities going on at once. "To each, their own."

"Is the beach not your thing?" Kristine asked.

"Give me a nice quiet island, and I'll be okay," Jason replied.

"Hmm," Kristine observed her brother and the environment. "Well, maybe you should head to your tournament and sign up before the cut off time."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Have fun, sis."

"You too, bro!" Kristine smiled.

Before Jason could depart, Kristine got his attention. "Hey."

"Yeah?" Jason turned around.

Kristine extended her arm out with a closed fist. "Good luck out there."

"Thanks," Jason fist bumped Kristine.

Kristine and Jason departed in different directions. Jason walked down the beach, flanked by the towering condos and hotels to his left and the ocean to his right. He kept walking until he saw a series of platforms and buoys organized to form aquatic battlefields.

"This must be the tournament," Jason muttered.

"Hey Jason!" he heard the voice of Amanda behind him.

"Oh, hey!" Jason turned around.

Amanda wore a two-piece deep blue bikini, and did not keep her hair in a ponytail.

"You competing in the tournament too?" She asked.

"Yeah," Jason replied. "Magikarp and I are going to compete!"

"Magikarp?" Amanda seemed a little surprised. "Can he…battle?"

"Why not?" Jason smirked. "Have you used Feebas in battle?"

"Actually, no," Amanda felt ashamed. "Am I supposed to?"

"It depends," Jason continued. "See, Magikarp has a headstrong personality. And when I caught him in Lake Serenity, I made a promise to him. As a trainer, I must uphold at promise."

"Then I hope we meet in battle!" Amanda gave a determined look. "Wartortle and I plan on winning the whole thing!"

"Yeah, well, good luck!" Jason snickered.

The two continued towards the tournament area.

"So Amanda," Jason began to ask. "Any new pokemon lately?"

"Yep! I caught Mareep the other day in the outskirts!" Amanda said. She pulled out her pokeball. "Come on out!"

"Mareep!" the electric sheep-like pokemon greeted as it was summoned.

"Oh nice!" Jason complimented.

"Thanks!" Amanda smiled. "Okay, return!" she recalled Mareep.

"That means you have a full team, right?" Jason asked.

"Yep! And you have one more pokemon to go, huh?"

"That's right!"

"Any ideas?"

"Not a clue," Jason laughed. "Whatever happens, happens."

The two approached the registration table overlooking the ocean and battle fields.

"You two look like trainers!" observed one lady who was sitting behind the table. She looked at Jason. "And you're definitely a trainer. Congrats on winning the Power Duo!"

"Thanks!" Jason replied.

"We're here to compete in the tournament!" Amanda added.

"Absolutely!" the woman nodded. "Spots are filling up fast. We aim to have sixteen trainers today."

"Four rounds," Jason mentioned.

"Yep!" the woman confirmed. "Informal one versus one through endurance brackets, which means there's very little to no breaks in between rounds. Only one water type or water dwelling pokemon allowed per trainer. Who would you like to register?"

"I'm entering Wartortle!" Amanda said.

"Wartortle, huh?" the lady seemed impressed. "I like to see how well you will do today."

She then turned to Jason. "And who will you be entering?"

"Magikarp!" Jason spoke with confidence.

"Haha, nice one!" the lady began to laugh. Then she realized Jason was serious.

"You're… you're not kidding," she blushed.

"Nope," Jason maintained a straight face.

"I have to say, you'd be the first one entering a magikarp in well, probably since before I got a job here," she mentioned. "Can it battle?"

"I've trained Magikarp just as much as I trained the team that won the Power Duo," Jason assured her. "He's ready for this."

"If you say so," the lady cautiously replied. "Since you've proven you're a capable trainer, I'll let you register. Just please don't get me into any trouble."

"I promise you, we will aim to win this whole thing," Jason smiled.

* * *

A short while later, the tournament was underway. Sixteen trainers converged on a wooden bulletin board plotted into the sand. It displayed the tournament bracket, matching trainers against each other throughout eight different battle fields. A nearby sign also clearly stated that pokemon riding was prohibited in waters close to shore.

"So my first match is field seven," Jason muttered. He looked over to the ocean, noticing the fact that he had to swim to his respective field.

"All right, let's do this," he said to himself.

Jason entered the water and began swimming once he could no longer stand without being completely submerged. He continued on for another couple minutes, climbing onto a trainer's platform on field seven. After getting up, he took a second to maintain his balance. The platform was sturdy, but the fact that it had no railing and it was in a completely open environment made it somewhat dizzying for him.

"Wow, look at this!" he said, looking at the deep ocean far away. He could make out a pair of lapras from a distance, and a fin creeping out from the water, possibly belonging to a sharpedo. A least half a dozen wingull were flying over him, and a low flying pelipper swooped by him.

"So this is the ocean," he observed, in awe. Being from the countryside, the ocean environment was completely new to him. He loved the sight, the sense of quietness even if it was just for a moment. And above all, it reminded him how lucky he was to be alive to see this. The beautiful sights, the battles, and the adventures; this was what he lived for.

"Hey, country boy!" he heard the voice of his opponent on the other side of the battlefield. She appeared to be slightly older than him, having light brown hair to the bottom of her neck and wearing a one-piece yellow swimsuit. "That's called an ocean!"

Jason turned to face her. "It's to me like mountains would be to you."

"You're the boy who won the Power Duo with your twin sister," she noticed.

"That would be me," Jason gave a nod.

A referee took to the center platform on Jason's left, as onlookers swam towards the boundaries of the battlefield.

"All right," the referee began. "We have a first round matchup between Jason and Caitlyn. This will be a standard one versus one battle with informal commencement, meaning both trainers release their pokemon at the same time. Anything goes afterwards. Now, are both trainers ready?"

Both Jason and Caitlyn confirmed they were ready to battle.

"Then may the battle begin!" the referee declared.

"Go, Goldeen!" Caitlyn threw her Pokeball.

"Goldeen goldeen!" Goldeen greeted.

"Let's go, Magikarp!" Jason summoned.

"Karp karp!" Magikarp was determined to win this battle.

Several gasps can be heard from onlookers. Caitlyn was also surprised.

"A magikarp?" she began to laugh. "This is a joke, right? Surely you're joking."

"I'm not," Jason faced her with a serious look, just as determined to win as his pokemon. "You'd be making a mistake if you take us lightly," he then faced Magikarp. "Use Tackle!"

"Karp!" Magikarp charged Goldeen head on.

Caitlyn sighed. "This is the first round, after all. Okay, Goldeen, use Water Pulse!"

"Goldeen!" Goldeen projected a water sphere from her horn, hurling it at Maikarp.

"Let's use Bounce!" Jason followed up.

"Karp!" Magikarp used his strength to propel himself out of the water, narrowly dodging Water Pulse as he soared into the air.

"Ugh, he's way up there and I can't see him!" Caitlyn became frustrated as Magikarp soared underneath the sun, forcing her and Goldeen to look away.

"Karp!" Magikarp dove back down, aiming at Goldeen.

"Hit 'em with everything you have!" Jason cheered Magikarp on.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp turned to his side before forefully striking Goldeen. The impact knocked Goldeen well beneath the water.

"Oh no! Goldeen!" Caitlyn became concerned.

"Goldeen!" Goldeen emerged, slightly shaken but ready to go.

"Well well," Caitlyn seemed very impressed. "You trained your magikarp well, but it's still a magikarp at the end of the day!"

"Keep talking like that, and we will definitely win!" Jason warned.

"Hmph," Caitlyn crossed her arms. _Even for a good trainer, he puts too much faith in that magikarp._

"Goldeen, let's get serious!" she commanded. "Use Rain Dance!"

"Gold goldeen!" Goldeen's horn glowed bright white.

Seconds later, a rain cloud formed over the battlefield.

"Goldeen's special ability is Swift Swim!" Caitlyn explained. "You won't match her speed!"

Jason smirked. "Magikarp's special ability is also Swift Swim!"

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp began moving rapidly throughout the battlefield.

"How does he move that fast?" Caitlyn seemed dumbfounded.

"Use Tackle!" Jason commanded.

"Karp!" Magikarp darted at Goldeen!"

"Dodge, and hit 'em with Horn Attack!" Caitlyn responded. "Show 'em what an attack should feel like!"

"Goldeen!" Goldeen dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding Magikarp's head-on Tackle. Her horn glowed as she lunged towards him.

"Flail! Now!" Jason promptly called.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp threw his tail around, effectively thwarting off Goldeen's attack by throwing her back.

"Er, Water Pulse!" Caitlyn became frustrated.

"Submerge, find Goldeen, and use Tackle!" Jason said.

Magikarp dove underwater to avoid the fast-coming water sphere. He was able to quickly spot Goldeen, and with sheer speed and force, charged at her.

"Karp!" Magikarp struck Goldeen's underside, propelling her into the air.

"Goldeen!" Caitlyn yelled.

"Let's finish this with Bounce!" Jason followed up.

"Karp!" Magikarp bounced high into the air as Goldeen began to fall back into the water. He then dove back down, using his strength to propel himself at a velocity faster than Goldeen.

"Magi-KARP!" Magikarp struck Goldeen before she even landed.

"Goldeen…" Goldeen floated on her side, unable to continue.

"Goldeen is unable to fight!" the referee declared. "Magi-Magikarp wins!"

Everyone but Jason seemed shocked by the outcome as Rain Dance evaporated.

"Great job, Magikarp!" Jason cheered as he recalled his pokemon. "You did it, buddy! Excellent job!"

"How did I lose to a magikarp?" Caitlyn wondered, recalling Goldeen.

"The question should be 'what can we do better next time around?'," Jason corrected. "Magikarp and I fought as one. We trained as one. We believed in each other even when there are those who thought they were here to watch a comedy."

The onlookers seemed embarrassed.

"Then you and Magikarp better win this thing!" Caitlyn pointed at Jason with a smile. "You're breaking the standards today!"

* * *

The first round soon concluded. Jason quickly realized that the victors remained on their respective platforms as the losers swam back to shore. Jason noticed at a far away platform that Amanda remained standing.

"Wartortle will be a tough match if we fought," he mentioned to himself.

"All right, trainers!" announced the woman from registration through a loudspeaker. "The second round will commence, and we will use fields three, four, five, and six! The brackets are as follows: the winners of one and two proceed to platform three, the winners of three and four go to four, five and six go to five, and seven and eight to go six.

Jason looked behind him to see the adjacent adjacent battle field he needed to go to.

"All right, let's do it!" he dove to the water.

He swam around the nearest platform in respect to the trainer who needed to travel here from platform eight. Onlookers cheered as they chanted Magikarp's name. He climbed up the platform on the other side of field six, looking at platform five as Amanda stood right where she was the entire time.

"Hi Jason!" Amanda waved.

"Hi!" Jason waved back.

"Don't lose!" she gave a wink.

Jason chuckled. "We won't! Don't lose either so we can battle in the next round!"

Jason turned to face his field. The other trainer had already climbed on his platform.

"One of my biggest pet peeves is when the opponent closer to the next battlefield than you takes the closest platform, forcing you to swim alllllll the way around when we can't use our own pokemon to take us there," stated a tan boy slightly older than Jason, sporting a black mohawk and same colored trunks. His muscles showed that he was incredibly fit and athletic. Jason, sporting muscles of his own, was even curious as to how he became that strong.

"So I thank you for your respect," the boy continued. "Country kids sure know how to be humble."

"Name's Jason," Jason introduced.

"I know," the boy snickered. "You've been on the news. Also, people are talking about how you just won using a magikarp."

"It's a team effort," Jason said.

"Right," the boy gave a nod. "Name's Ty. I'm from Viceport. Sol Peninsula is where it's at!"

"So being a trainer is what brought you here," Jason said.

"Mmhmm," Ty gave a nod. "After this, I'm taking up the challenge of the Mountains! I have five badges, and once I cross, the rest will be mine in no time!"

"Five badges, huh?" Jason seemed really impressed. "You must have a powerful team."

"Oh I do!" Ty replied. "But like you, I'm priming up one of my guys for the battles to come."

"All right, trainers!" the referee grabbed their attention. "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" both trainers shouted at the same time.

"Then let's begin!"

Onlookers cheered as both boys primed their pokeballs.

"Go, Carvanha!" Ty summoed.

"Car!" the Savage Pokemon snarled.

"Let's go, Magikarp!" Jason threw his Pokeball.

"Karp!" Magikarp stared down Carvanha with determination.

Some onlookers laughed despite knowing that Jason and Magikarp had won in the first round.

"Stay frosty, Magikarp!" Jason warned. "This is going to be a tough match!"

"Let's use some speed!" Ty yelled. "Carvanha, Aqua Jet!"

"Car!" Carvanha propelled himself out of the water at a high speed, lunging right at Magikarp.

"Quick! Go under!" Jason yelled.

"Karp!" Magikarp dove underwater as Carvanha jetted over him.

"Screech!" Ty continued his offensive.

"CAR!" Carvanha let out a pulsating screech that affected Magikarp.

"Karp karp!" Magikarp flailed around, unable to cover his ears.

"He's vulnerable! Use Bite!" Ty followed up.

Carvanha swam towards Magikarp, clamping down on his side.

"Er," Jason looked on, knowing that Magikarp wouldn't be able to hear him underwater. "Hang in there!"

Magikarp, however, use his strength to push himself upwards, taking Carvanha up with him.

"All right!" Jason breathed a sigh of relief. "Use Flail to shake him off!"

"KARP!" Magikarp used all of his might to throw Carvanha off.

"Magikarp," Magikarp remained strong, but he looked like he took considerable damage.

 _Magikarp only suffered from Bite,_ Jason observed. _But Carvanha could have the special ability Rough Skin. Any physical attack will hurt back a bit._

 _"_ Okay, Magikarp!" Jason instructed. "Fast defense, hard offense. We're going to make each hit count!"

"Karp!" Magikarp acknowledged.

"He knows your special ability!" Ty said to Carvanha. "Don't let him out speed you. Let's win this!"

"Car!" Carvanha complied.

 _This kid's bold to fight with a magikarp,_ Ty thought. _He's showing his true strength as a trainer._

"Propel yourself with Aqua Jet and hit him as hard as you can!" Ty commanded.

"Car!" Carvanha leaped towards Magikarp.

"Use Bounce!"Jason responded.

"Karp karp!" Magikarp bounced high into the air, just dodging Carvanha's Aqua Jet.

"Hit him in the air!" Ty followed up. "Use Bite!"

"Carvanha!" Carvanha leaped into the air, aiming to chomp down on Magikarp.

"Karp karp!" Magikarp began his descent.

"Change of plans!" Jason quickly issued. "Use Tackle and knock him down!"

"Karp!" Magikarp dove down on Carvanha, who was already in midair. Magikarp had the advantage of speed, gaining speed as he shot straight at his opponent.

"Oh no!" Ty realized he succumbed to his opponent's adaptability.

"Karp!" Magikarp struck Carvanha with such force, slamming him back in the water and creating a huge splash.

The onlookers cheered in amazement.

"Karp!" Magikarp caught a deep breath. Jason knew Carvanha's Rough Skin had struck again, but that Tackle seemed like it was a critical hit.

"We're in this, Magikarp!" Jason cheered. "We got this!"

"Car!" Carvanha was able to shake off the damage done.

"We end this right now!" Ty yelled. "Carvanha, use Screech!"

"Car!" Carvanha let out a pulsating screech once more, sending Magikarp into an annoyed frenzy.

"Rush in an use Bite!" Ty followed up.

Carvanha charged at Magikarp.

"We can't get hit!" Jason yelled. "Magikarp, use Splash!"

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp splashed all around him, effectively creating large waves and concealing himself.

Carvanha was unable to get a visual lock on Magikarp.

"Break through with Aqua Jet!" Ty commanded.

"Carvanha!" Carvanha propelled himself through the waves.

"Flail! Now!" Jason yelled.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp threw his tail in the air, catapulting Carvanha into the sky.

"Well, I was not expecting that to happen!" Jason laughed. "Kristine ought to be proud of me."

"How in the world!?" Ty was in disbelief.

Jason shrugged. "Magikarp must've hit him perfectly."

He faced his pokemon. "Use Bounce and bring him down!"

"Karp!" Magikarp bounced high into the air. As Carvanha began to descend, Magikarp locked right on him and dove down. With a powerful strike from his side, Magikarp slammed Carvanha back down once more.

"Karp!" Magikarp landed safely, but he appeared fatigued. Jason knew he wouldn't last much longer.

Carvanha, however, did not get up. Jason breathed a sigh of relief.

"Carvanha is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Magikarp is the winner!"

"Karp karp!" Magikarp knew he was triumphant.

"Good job, Magikarp!" Jason cheered as he recalled him.

"Amazing," Ty chuckled as he recalled Carvanha. "We have a lot of work to do, it looks like."

"You did great, Ty!" Jason commended. "You almost had us!"

"Well, you outplayed me immensely," Ty smiled. "It was a simple special ability keeping us alive. Now go win this thing and show 'em it's not just the pokemon but their trainer as well."

* * *

The other battles soon concluded. There were two rounds left. Jason looked over to see that Amanda was still standing. And because she was on field five, that could only mean one thing.

"The winner of field six, please swim on over to field five!" the lady instructed through a megaphone. "The winner of field three swims over to field four, as well."

"Well, this is it!" Jason said as he dove into the water. Onlookers continued to cheer him on.

He realized that Amanda took the courtesy of swimming to the far platform, leaving Jason with the closest platform to him. He climbed up, as did his to-be opponent a moment later.

"Well well," Amanda primed her pokeball. "Ready for this?"

"You bet!" Jason looked on with confidence.

"She has a wartortle," Jason heard one of the onlookers say to those around him. "And he didn't even take a single hit the entire time."

Jason realized endurance was part of the tournament. Magikarp only got a little bit of rest since the last battle. He knew the odds were stacked against him; not only Magikarp was fatigued, he had to go up against an evolved pokemon.

Even for someone who sees winning as the only strategy to battle, Jason knew he was outmatched in every way possible. Amanda was by no means a pushover. Under any other circumstance, he would have the confidence to defeat her in a standard battle, though she'd put up a real fight. Here, however, many would agree this was the end of the line for Jason.

"Trainers, are you ready?" the referee asked.

"Ready!" Jason and Amanda yelled at the same time.

"Then let the battle begin!" the referee declared.

"Get 'em, Wartortle!" Amanda threw out her Pokeball.

"Let's go, Magikarp!" Jason did the same.

"Karp!" Magikarp looked at his opponent with determination.

"Wartortle!" Wartortle greeted, signaling Magikarp to attack.

"Magikarp, let's use Tackle!" Jason commanded.

"Magikarp!" Magikarp charged at Wartortle.

"Wartortle, use Protect!" Amanda responded.

"Wartortle!" Wartortle crossed his arms, using them as a shield as a barrier projected before him. Magikarp crashed into it head on.

"Now use Bite!" Amanda followed up.

"War!" Wartortle grabbed a hold of Magikarp with his hands and chomped down on his side.

"Karp!" Magikarp felt the pain from the powerful attack.

"Flail! Now!" Jason issued.

"Rapid Spin!" Amanda countered.

As Magikarp began to use Flail, Wartortle retreated to his shell and used Rapid Spin, knocking Magikarp away while making a safe retreat.

"Karp…" Magikarp was clearly fatigued.

"Hang in there, Magikarp!" Jason cheered him on.

"Do not let up, Wartortle!" Amanda said. "Do not take them lightly!"

"Wartortle!" Wartortle gave a nod.

 _If he made it this far with Magikarp, then he has the potential to be one of the best trainers around,_ Amanda thought. _He will make those who overlook him pay. He feeds off the underdog mentality. Very admirable, but it's time for me to win this!_

"Water Pulse!" Amanda called.

"Wartortle!" Wartortle shot out a water sphere aimed at Magikarp.

"Use Bounce!" Jason quickly called.

"Karp!" Magikarp bounced high into the air, leaping over Water Pulse.

"Hmph," Amanda crossed her arms with a smirk. "We got 'em! Wartortle. Jump and use Rapid Spin!"

"Wartortle!" Wartortle jumped high into the air while withdrawing in his shell, spinning rapidly at Magikarp.

Magikarp dove down towards the spinning shell, and Jason realized there was nothing he could do to advert the collision.

"Oh no!" Jason yelled in concern.

"Karp!" Magikarp charged head on.

Wartortle struck Magikarp with Rapid Spin, knocking Magikarp off his trajectory and sending him spiraling down towards the water.

"Finish him with Water Pulse!" Amanda saw her opportunity to win.

"Wartortle!" Wartortle fired off Water Pulse, striking Magikarp before he even reached the water. As the smoke cleared, it became clear that Magikarp's highly impressive run came to an end.

"Magikarp is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Wartortle wins!"

"Good job, Wartortle!" Amanda cheered.

"Ah, oh well," Jason smiled, and recalled Magikarp. "Good job, buddy. I'm proud of you."

He then faced Amanda. "You're one tough trainer. I didn't even get a hit off."

Amanda chuckled. "Well, I know who I'm facing. You've got a thing for beating the odds and you've won the Power Duo."

"Well, I guess I need to swim back to shore," Jason said. "Great battling with you, Amanda. Maybe we'll have a standard battle sometime?"

"For sure!" Amanda gave a thumb up towards Jason. "It was great battling with you, too!"

Jason dove back into the water and swam back to shore, but not without an applause from onlookers. He returned to shore the same time as the other semifinalist, a girl with jet-black hair.

"It was a good run," she said with a smile on her face.

"For sure," Jason agreed.

* * *

Soon enough, Amanda swam to the fourth battle field to face a boy in the final round, winning decisively. Upon swimming back to shore, she received a necklace with a sapphire in the shape of a water droplet, a token of winning the competition.

"Wow, it's beautiful," she looked at it, holding it at the palm of her hand before putting it on.

"Hey Amanda, congrats!" Jason approached her.

"Thanks!" Amanda smiled.

The two walked down the beach.

"Any other plans while you're here?" Jason asked.

"I'll stay here a while longer like you guys are," Amanda replied. "It's like Richland Port is our reward for being in the Mountains for so long."

"For sure," Jason gave a nod.

"And you of all people deserve it," Amanda continued.

Jason knew where Amanda was coming from. He had gone through a lot, especially through his near-death experience. But Jason knew that he had overworked himself to that point, and that experience put a lot of emotional stress on his sister. He knew Amanda was right; Jason deserved the time at Richland Port, and so did Kristine.

The two continued down as a familiar faced ran towards them.

"Hi Julian!" Amanda waved.

"Hey guys!" Julian caught his breath.

"You looked like you've been running for quite a long time," Jason noticed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine!" Julian replied. "Everything's fine. You're not going to believe what's happened!"

"What happened?" Jason asked.

"It's your sister," Julian began to explain.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah! Yeah she's fine. She saved a pokemon, man! And it's a part of her team! Come on, I'll take you to her!"

* * *

 **A/N: The next chapter is pretty much a Kristine chapter, and will run at the same time as the start of this chapter, when the twins departed from each other. Kristine completes her team next chapter.**


	30. A Rescue in Paradise

"Wow, look at all of this!" Kristine looked around to see people and pokemon alike playing at the beach. Children were running around with small pokemon, likely belonging to them or their parents. She saw a man from a distance throwing a frisbee for his electrike to catch.

"We have parks at home, but nothing like this," Kristine mentioned to herself. Grabbing the pokeballs from her belt, she began to prime them before releasing her team.

"Okay, Espeon! Fletchinder! Pikachu! Machop! Snorunt! Come on out!"

All five of her pokemon greeted her as they were summoned. Kristine didn't quite think through that children and fans of her Power Duo conquest would overwhelm her in a matter of seconds. And that's exactly what happened.

"Wow! Look at your pokemon!" said a boy who appeared to be seven or eight years old. He kneeled down to pet Snorunt.

"Yep, this is my team!" Kristine proudly stated with people surrounding her and her pokemon.

"Hey, I only see five pokemon!" a woman mentioned. "Any plans to complete your team?"

"Of course!" Kristine replied. "I just don't know when it'll happen. But I have room for one more!"

More children ran up to pet Kristine's pokemon. Machop took this as an opportunity to showcase his strength, picking up one of the children with just one hand and impressing the crowd.

"Excuse me, coming through," Kristine saw Julian make his way through the crowd to get to her.

"Hey Julian!" Kristine waved.

"Hey," Julian waved back. "Geez, can't move two feet without getting swamped, can't you?"

He then addressed the crowd. "Okay everyone, don't want to smother her and her pokemon now. Let her enjoy the beach."

Soon enough, the crowd dispersed and went back to their activities.

"Thanks Julian," Kristine smiled.

"Yeah, no prob," Julian replied.

"I was wondering who was drawing in the crowd," Bran approached the two.

"Hi Bran!" Kristine happily greeted.

"Hey," Bran smiled. "I'm just here at the beach, training for my match with Meeks tomorrow. There's a lot going on here."

"Yeah," Julian added. "There's games and stuff going on. Where's Jason, anyways?"

"Oh, he's competing in the water tournament down there," Kristine pointed at the respective direction.

"Him and Amanda," Julian mentioned.

"Amanda's competing too?" Kristine asked.

"Yep," Julian gave a nod.

"Don't you think you should…you know…"

Julian didn't understand what Kristine was getting at. "What's up?"

"I don't know. Watch her? Cheer her on?"

"She's a tough trainer. She's got this!"

 _Ugh, boys can be so dense at times,_ Kristine thought.

"All right," Kristine continued. "Let's check out the beach."

Kristine continued on with all of her pokemon still out, alongside Julian and Bran.

"Hey, are your pokemon out too?" she asked both of them.

"Yep," Julian replied.

Seconds later, Pidgeotto flew over the trio.

"Mmhmm," Bran nodded.

"Wait," Kristine became curious. "Julian, even Onix?"

"Even Onix," Julian snickered.

"But how-"

"There's a sand dune park nearby. I just dropped him off there."

"I see. They don't leave any pokemon out of the picture in this city."

"Herdier!" A herdier suddenly ran up to Bran.

"Hey buddy," Bran greeted.

"Herd!" Herdier greeted back before running off.

"Herdier is one of your new pokemon, right?" Kristine asked.

"Yep!" Bran confirmed. "Honedge, too."

"Honedge, eh?" Julian seemed intrigued. "How'd you manage to catch that one?"

"When that blizzard came in the central part of the Mountains, I got stuck out there," Bran explained. "Honedge of all things appeared and guided me to shelter to wait out the blizzard. Afterwards, it wanted to continue with me."

"Honedge!" Honedge floated towards Bran and company.

"I left my pokedex back at the pokemon center," Kristine said, observing Honedge. "It's really interesting."

"Like a hovering sheathed sword," Julian examined.

"Its body is the sword itself," Bran continued. "It can unsheathe itself in battle."

"What's the lore behind this pokemon?" Kristine became even more curious.

"Legends say honedge is born when a spirit attaches itself to a sword," Bran said.

"A human spirit or a pokemon spirit?" Julian asked.

Bran shrugged. "I'd say a pokemon spirit. But that story is centuries old. No one really knows its origin."

"Ghost pokemon sure are mysterious," Kristine added.

Honedge soon floated away.

"Hey," Julian looked ahead. "No way, that's a volleyball game with pokemon playing!"

"Wait a second," Kristine observed. "The setter. What kind of pokemon is that?"

"A poppilo," Bran confirmed.

"A poppilo? I'm not familiar with that."

"That's a pokemon from Alola, isn't it?" Julian asked.

Bran nodded. "Poppilo is one of the starter pokemon for new trainers there, I think."

"It's only recent that Alola decided to join the world stage in general," Julian added. "They've been very traditional since, well, the beginning of time."

"Their league is very new too, right?" Kristine asked.

"Yeah, like less than ten years old," Julian replied.

"There's certain pokemon in Alola that adapted to the region, too," Bran added. "Rattata and raticate, for example, are dark and normal types."

"That's awesome," Kristine seemed intrigued.

As the three approached closer to the field, they noticed the poppilo scoring an ace by throwing the ball upwards using its nose and slamming it just over the net using its fin, with the ball slamming the ground right between a raichu and a slowbro.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about, Poppilo!" a spectator, presumed to be the pokemon's trainer, cheered it on.

"That looks fun as heck!" Julian looked on in amazement. "I wonder if it's a pickup game!" he ran towards the field without another thought.

"I guess that really impressed him," Kristine chuckled.

"He's got quite a bit of energy," Bran observed.

"Yeah, like my brother. No wonder why those two seem to click pretty well."

"What are you going to do, Kristine?" Bran asked.

Kristine turned her head towards the ocean. "Well, I've swam in lakes before, but not an ocean."

"There's a beach not too far from where I lived when I was younger," Bran said. He looked ahead, past the volleyball field. "It doesn't seem to be as crowded here as the other direction."

"Thinking about training?" Kristine asked.

"Gotta get ready for the gym battle tomorrow," Bran said.

"Do you need any help?"

"I need a strategy," Bran rubbed his chin. "Meeks uses Raichu, along with Lairon and Gabite, at least in the last thirty matches."

"Hence the name Team Power. He will test your strength and resolve."

"So fight power with power?"

"Well, to an extent. But remember, fighting to a gym leader's strength will be a good way to lose. I'd fight power with speed."

"Kadabra's fast."

"How about your new additions?"

"Herdier can run, and Honedge can be evasive."

"I'd make sure they're battle ready, given their inexperience. With Kadabra at their side, just have them train on speed, both for offense and defensive purposes."

"And use moves to incapacitate or immobilize," Bran added.

"That, too."

Bran smiled. "It's settled then. Thanks, Kristine."

Kristine smiled back. "Yeah, anytime!"

"Well, I'd best get to it!" Bran proceeded towards the more open area.

He let out a loud whistle, signaling all of his pokemon to converge on him.

"That's a good idea," Kristine muttered. "Using a signal like that to get everyone's attention."

She approached the ocean, and took her sandals off before touching the water with her feet.

"It feels nice," she noticed. She embraced the ocean breeze and smell, and was able to stare upon the endless ocean.

Suddenly, she saw bubbles emerge from a concentrated area at a distance. It became closer.

"What's that?" she wondered.

The bubbles approached Kristine. A moment later, a pokemon emerged, wailing towards her.

"Woah!" Kristine attempted to back off, but the serpent-like pokemon knocked her over by its tail by mistake.

"Ugh!" she fell on her back.

"Dratini!" the pokemon yelled. It appeared to be in some sort of distress.

"Espeon!" Espeon ran towards Kristine.

"Pika!" as did Pikachu.

Kristine got back up. "Ow."

"Dra…" Dratini was still wailing around, but it was on its side. Kristine feared it was dying.

"Dratini!" she approached the pokemon. "What's wrong?"

She examined Dratini, but noticed no physical injuries. Then she realized it could be sick, or even poisoned somehow. She instinctively pulled out a potion and an antidote from her pouch, and attached the bottles with injector nozzles.

She then encountered a flashback, when Jason came down with the flu, and how that experience terrified her. How Jason nearly succumbed to it, and how she nearly believed he was gone for good.

 _Stay strong,_ she told herself. She calmly kneeled down to Dratini, and began to pet its head.

"It's okay, Dratini," she said, before quickly injecting its neck with a potion.

Dratini seemed to calm down, with the potion's effects kicking in.

Kristine then injected Dratini with an antidote. Dratini calmed down completely before closing its eyes. Kristine checked for a pulse, and determined it was just resting.

"You're gonna be just fine," Kristine said as she sat down, with her hand on Dratini's head.

By then, Machop, Snorunt, and Fletchinder converged onto her. Bran also ran over, with his pokemon behind him.

"Kristine!" he ran next to Dratini in concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it is now," Kristine breathed a sigh of relief. "Listen. Can you get in touch with emergency services? Seeing what I just saw, I don't think what I gave Dratini is going to last forever."

"Yeah, sure thing!" Bran complied, and took off with his pokemon in tow.

People began to notice what was going on. Moments later, a small crowd formed around Kristine.

"Is it okay?" asked a woman. "Do you need assistance?"

"My friend is getting help," Kristine replied. "I gave it a potion and an antidote."

"Whoa whoa what's going on?" Julian approached the crowd, preparing to be Kristine's guard once more.

"This dratini is sick," Kristine replied.

"What?" Julian kneeled down. "It's sick?"

"Yeah, but I think I made it better for the meantime."

Moments later, Bran ran back with two familiar faces Kristine and her brother encountered before.

"Kristine!" a woman with short, brown hair wearing glasses, a blue tank top and ocean camo pants kneeled down next to her. "Remember me?" she spoke with a kalosian accent. "I'm Brie, water conservationist. You and your brother defeated me and my partner in the Power Duo."

"Yeah I remember!" Kristine happily replied. "It's very good to see you!"

"And I'm Joe in case you forgot," a man with brown spiky hair wearing a blue shirt, ocean camo pants, and sunglasses also kneeled down next to Kristine. "Let's take a look."

"He's calmed down, all right," Brie observed, feeling Dratini's neck.

Joe pulled out a scanning device of sorts, and aimed it before Dratini. "There's a lot of poison in his system. This is not a run of the mill Poison Sting, mind you."

"Is he going to be okay?" Kristine asked in concern.

"If we act quickly, yes," Brie replied, gently holding Kristine's hand with her two hands as a sign of assurance. "We need to get him to our treatment center quickly!"

"That's for sure," Joe agreed, pulling out a pokeball. "Dratini must be contained for now."

"Dratini!" Dratini slithered behind Kristine, frightened.

"I knew this could happen," Brie said, before addressing Dratini in a calm tone. "Don't worry, we will take care of you and make you better before we release you."

"Dratini…" Dratini remained behind Kristine.

"He's obviously frightened," Joe said. "The poison's making him delirious no doubt."

"He's not trusting us," Brie added. "We're running out of the precious time Kristine bought us."

Both conservationists then looked at Kristine.

"He trusts you," Joe said.

"You have to capture him," Brie said.

"Well, I'm glad I carried that last empty pokeball with me," Kristine gave a determined nod as she primed the empty ball.

"Dra…" Dratini faintly spoke, nudging the pokeball.

"He'd complete-" Kristine spoke, trying to break down the situation in her mind, before she was promptly yet politely interrupted by Brie.

"Dear, we need to contain Dratini! No time to think! We can ask questions and ponder the situation later!"

"Got it!" Kristine gently tossed the ball as it projected Dratini into it. The ball became bound uncontested.

"Right, now let's go!" Joe said.

"Follow us, Kristine!" Brie spoke as everyone got back up.

"Where are we going?" Kristine asked, running behind Joe and Brie with her pokemon running alongside her.

"To the pokemon conservation treatment center in the medical district!" Brie replied.

Kristine quickly faced Julian. "Find my brother! Let him know!"

"Right! I'll go pick up Onix after I get Jason and we'll meet you there!" Julian said, taking off and recalling his pokemon without a second thought.

"I'm coming with!" Bran insisted as he ran alongside Kristine.

"I appreciate it!" Kristine smiled, as she began recalling her pokemon. Bran did the same.

As Joe, Brie, Kristine, and Bran ran in one direction and Julian ran in the other, a man with a blond ponytail and wearing black bathing suit and tinted sunglasses quietly observed the ordeal. He wore a translucent earpiece, enabling him to communicate with a remote source discreetly.

"Sharpedo-one to base," he addressed. "The serum is negative. Repeat, the serum is negative."

"Copy that," a man's voice replied. "What's the analysis?"

"Subject was on track to terminate," the agent informed. "A girl managed to stabilize it with a potion and antidote. Experts arrived at the scene and are now transporting it for treatment."

"It was too strong for the pokemon and has a weak defense system," the man replied. "Tell the team to balance the serum."

"Sir, if we implement it on an evolved pokemon –"

"We need to test it on base pokemon to ensure its efficiency," the man insisted. "We risk collateral damage and being compromised with powerful pokemon. Overseer's orders."

"Yes sir," the agent complied. "I will relay the results to our field agents and will alter the serum."

"Good. We're making progress. With the sonic pulse functional, we need to expedite our ocean operations."

"I'll see to it we get it done."

"We admire the determination."

"One more thing, base."

"What is it?"

"The girl."

"What about her?"

"James' daughter, of all people."

"Irrelevant. A mere coincidence."

"Understand. Nothing more to report."

"Continue the good work out there. Base out."

* * *

Joe, Brie, Kristine, and Bran ran towards a five-seat orange buggy. Joe took the wheel as Brie sat next to him, with Kristine and Bran behind them.

"Petal to the metal, Joe!" Brie yelled.

"Don't need to tell me that twice!" Joe replied, hitting the gas pedal with his foot.

Joe accelerated the buggy off the beach and into the streets. Red sirens flashed at the front and back, giving him the right of way through stop signs and traffic lights.

"Something doesn't quite add up," Joe mentioned.

"What do you mean?" Brie asked.

"I'll talk to you after the analysis, in private."

Joe made a sharp left turn into a district devoted to medical research and studies. The buildings were pristine white or cream colored, and some of them towered over a dozen stories high. Kristine imagined it as a small city designed as one massive pokemon center.

Joe took the buggy towards the entrance of a dome-shaped building. He abruptly hit the brakes at the emergency drop-off point as the four practically jumped out of their seats, rushing through the automated glass doors.

"We have a priority one!" Joe briefed a nurse who was alerted by the sudden entrance. "Male dratini, less than a year old, critical condition by an unknown poison or substance. It has been injected with a basic potion and antidote."

"Where is it?" the nurse asked.

"Here!" Kristine handed the nurse the pokeball where Dratini resided within.

"We'll get it treated right away!" the nurse took off to a nearby treatment room, with Joe and Brie running behind her.

"Well, what do we do now?" Kristine asked.

"Wait and see, I guess," Bran replied.

"Hey, have a seat," a male assistant approached the two. "Let me get you some water."

"Yeah, that'll be great," Kristine smiled.

"Thank you," Bran added.

Kristine and Bran sat in the waiting area as the assistant gave them each a bottle of water moments later.

"I hope Dratini is okay," Kristine said, awfully concerned.

"He's in good hands," Bran assured her. "Congratulations on your sixth pokemon."

"My sixth pokemon…" Kristine thought about it. "I actually have a full team now, if Dratini wants to come along with me."

"You saved his life," Bran said.

"But that's what they're doing right now," Kristine pointed towards the door where Joe and Brie went through to follow the nurse.

"Kristine, that was you," Bran reiterated. "You kept Dratini alive long enough for professional help to arrive."

"Just like Jason…" Kristine muttered.

"Pardon?" Bran didn't hear her.

Kristine's eyes began to water. "I did the same with my brother. I helped keep him alive long enough for the rangers to take him back to the Central Pokemon Lodge. I was so scared that day. That thought ran through my mind when I saw Dratini flailing around like it was in so much pain. I couldn't imagine anyone going through that. I couldn't bare the thought of failure."

"But you didn't fail," Bran spoke sternly. "You saved Jason, and now you saved Dratini. Be proud of what you've accomplished."

"Yeah," Kristine sniffled, but had a smile on her face. "Thanks, Bran. You're a good friend."

"I try," Bran chuckled.

"If you'd like, I can watch your battle with Meeks tomorrow," she offered as a sign of moral support.

"I'd like that," Bran accepted.

Kristine grew attracted to Bran at that moment. She felt the urge to show affection by holding his hand. But that moment was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Jason, Julian, and Amanda.

"We got here as fast as we could!" Jason ran up to Kristine and Bran.

"Wait, how did you get here so fast?" Kristine asked. "And where's your shirt and shoes?"

"Oh yeah…" Jason looked down to suddenly realize he was running on bare feet.

"I mean it sounded like it was an emergency," Amanda added before facing Jason. "I didn't know you actually forgot about your stuff on the beach."

"It's just a shirt and shoes," Jason shrugged.

"Dear brother, we'll have a chat about that later," Kristine addressed, holding the extreme urge to roll her eyes.

"So get this," Julian mentioned. "There's a service in this city that takes you from one place to another!"

"Like a taxi service or public transportation?" Bran asked.

"Uh, the one where you get in a yellow car with blue stripes?"

"Yes, that is called a taxi service, and the colors depend on what city you're in, but they're generally supposed to have bright colors."

"Is that what it's called?"

"Yeah. Arston had a similar service. It's outdated now. I'm surprised they still have it here."

"Outdated? Really?"

"Yeah. I'll explain it to you, sometime."

Moments later, Brie stepped outside to address Kristine.

"Oh, hi Jason!" she greeted. "Remember me?"

"Of course!" Jason replied.

She approached the gang, facing Kristine. "So I have good news for you. We managed to neutralize what was inside Dratini. We would like to keep him here to monitor his health.

"Yeah, that's fine," Kristine agreed.

"Good," Brie smiled. "You have one potentially powerful pokemon, provided it wants to remain with you."

"I remember seeing a dragonite when I saw footage of the Inventum Cup a few years ago," Julian recollected. "It swept an entire team one match."

"Dragonite…" Kristine muttered under her breath. _Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't even know what's going to happen from here._

"Kristine, a moment?" Brie asked.

"Yeah, sure," Kristine got up.

"Come, let's go see Dratini," Brie said.

"See you guys in a few," Kristine said to the gang.

Kristine followed Brie through the door. They proceeded down a hallway before entering a room on their right. There, Kristine saw Dratini flat on his stomach on a patient table, monitored by a computer system that a nurse was operating. Joe stood there, observing his scanner.

"I've noticed where you inserted the potion and antidote," Brie mentioned. "Do you have advanced knowledge about medicine?"

"Not really," Kristine gave a shrug.

Dratini tilted his head towards Kristine.

"Hey there, buddy," Kristine walked over to pet him.

"You have some good instincts," Joe said, looking at Kristine. "Maybe once your adventures are all said and done, you should try becoming a conservationist. Even a rescuer."

"I never really thought about that far," Kristine replied.

"Never too early to start thinking," Joe smiled.

"What you did was a great thing today," Brie added. "You saved Dratini's life. Once you turn sixteen, the Inventum Ocean Conservationist Initiative would like to extend an offer of apprenticeship to you."

"Like a job?" Kristine asked.

Joe chuckled. "Yes. A job. But they say you're not working if you're doing something that you love."

Kristine felt flattered. "I appreciate it. Truly. I guess we will see what happens in the future."

She turned towards Dratini. "I'm glad you're doing okay."

"You can go back to your brother and friends," Brie said. "I thought you'd want to see Dratini for yourself."

"I appreciate it, thank you very much!" Kristine smiled.

As she approached the door back out to the hallway, Dratini cried his own name.

"Guess Dratini doesn't want you to leave," Brie observed.

"Huh?" Kristine turned around.

"Dra! Dra! Dratini!" Dratini yelled.

Dratini seemed to calm down when Kristine approached him once more.

"Hmm," Kristine pondered. "Hey Dratini?"

Dratini tilted his head.

"I'm what you would call a pokemon trainer. My goal is to travel Inventum and compete in battles and tournaments that would, in return, help me enter the Inventum Cup. I have three badges so far and would need twelve to enter. I currently have five other pokemon for my team, which means I have room for one more. I want to make this clear to you that you don't owe me anything, but I want to ask you if you're interested in completing our team.

"The challenges will be tough but if you're into battling and competing, then this is something right up your alley. And you'll be alongside Espeon, Pikachu, Fletchinder, Machop, and Snorunt. I'll be traveling alongside my twin brother Jason and his pokemon as well. I can give you some time to-"

"Dratini!" Dratini nodded at Kristine with full confidence.

"Well well," Joe laughed. "I take it he wants to come with you."

"Then it's settled," Brie determined. "We do not unbind Dratini from Kristine's pokeball when he's released from here. He goes with her."

"You're letting me keep Dratini?" Kristine asked.

"Why not?" Joe replied. "You're a capable, responsible trainer with a very good head on your shoulders. Dratini is in good hands."

"So Dratini is officially part of the team," Kristine gleamed, having felt so accomplished for sealing her team.

"Congratulations, dear," Brie commended.

"Thank you all, very much!" Kristine smiled. "I'm going to tell everyone!"

She bolted through the door and ran down the hallway, heading back into the main lobby.

Joe looked on briefly, snickering underneath his breath at the cute reaction Kristine just gave. His body language suddenly became more serious as he faced Brie.

"Walk with me for a moment," he said to Brie, subtly gesturing towards the nurse inside the room."

"Yeah," Brie complied as she followed him out into the hallway.

The two proceeded towards the other end of the hallway before entering an atrium. It took them to a massive circular aquarium, filled with hundreds of rescued water pokemon. From horsea to wailmer and from magikarp to carvanha, the aquarium served as a refuge to those found injured, orphaned, or who endured other unfortunate circumstances in the unforgiving ocean. Joe and Brie occasionally passed by other colleagues wearing the same uniforms.

"So I looked into what was in Dratini," Joe said, showing the scanner's results to Brie. "It's not a pokemon's poison. It's not a natural part of the environment. This thing was aggressive and reckless, and we should be thankful it was reckless."

"What do you believe happened?" Brie wanted to know where Joe was getting at.

"I believe this was artificial in nature," Joe replied. "And that Dratini was abducted before being injected with it and released back in the wild. For what purpose, I don't know. But I would like to find out who is responsible."

"We're conservationists, Joe, not rangers or police," Brie tried to reason. "If you believe there is foul play in the ocean, then we need to inform RPD and Team Power. Have them investigate."

"If whatever this is becomes produced in large quantities, it could cost the lives of many pokemon," Joe argued. "We need to track the source, and then we can begin to find answers."

"Then give the police or Team Power all the information they need and they can take it from there," Brie firmly stated.

Joe sighed, and stopped. "Yeah, you're right."

Brie stopped next to him. "The main question is why would someone do this to pokemon?"

"Someone with a twisted view on how things should be run," Joe said. "Call me paranoid, but Team Rocket among others all had visions on how things should be run. Whether we are dealing with an individual or a group, I don't know. Their purpose, I don't know. But the thing that almost got Dratini tells me one thing: someone or some people out there are up to no good, and we need to find answers and fast."


	31. An Emotional Farewell

"Honedge, use Shadow Sneak on Raichu!" Bran gave the command.

"Honedge!" Honedge extended its shadow towards Raichu.

Meeks smirked. "Blast through with Wild Charge, Raichu!"

"Chu!" Raichu used his tail to propel himself towards Honedge, powering through Shadow Sneak like nothing happened.

"Honedge, get out of there!" Bran yelled.

Raichu slammed into Honedge before it could evade the powerful attack. While Raichu took slight recoil damage, the devastating blow knocked Honedge out of commission.

"Honedge is unable to battle!" the female referee declared.

"So the score is even," Bran muttered to himself, recalling Honedge. "You got us this far. Good work."

It was down to the wire in Bran's gym battle against Sam Meeks within Team Power's arena. The battlefield was made of dirt, outlined by white boundary marks and the face of Groudon in the center. Two banners of the legendary pokemon hung from the ceiling, hanging behind both sides of the field. Members of Team Power took to the bleachers to witness this close battle, as did regular spectators who had the free time to do so.

"Any ruse you put up is just another wall waiting to be broken down," Meeks said. "Now, who will your final pokemon be?"

Bran primed his last pokeball. He started with Herdier, who was able to defeat Gabite, but lost to Lairon. He solved Lairon using Honedge, but failed to land a single hit on Raichu.

"You can do this, Kadabra!" he summoned his last pokemon.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra stood poised and disciplined against his opponent.

"All right, let's go!" Kristine cheered from the sideline. She had a front row seat to the battle. She observed the battle, and so far, she seemed impressed not by Bran's ability to go toe-to-toe with a gym leader, but also Meek's true-power fighting style. There weren't flashy moves, tricks, or compelling strategies involved; just raw power and perseverance. It became ever so clear why Meeks awarded her and Jason the Power Badge after defeating the Donnovan twins. The challenge of power and perseverance would have been redundant.

"Use Psybeam!" Bran commanded.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra launched a powerful colorful beam at Raichu.

"Dodge and use Thunder Wave!" Meeks responded.

Raichu dodged out of the way and emitted an electric wave towards Kadabra.

"Disable! Now!" Bran quickly issued.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra lifted his spoon towards Raichu. He successfully stopped Thunder Wave and therefore prevented Raichu from using it again in the meantime. However, that all seemed meaningless when Kadabra fell on one knee, electric currents rippling throughout his body.

"Oh no!" Bran became concerned.

"He couldn't stop Thunder Wave in time," Kristine looked on.

"Wild Charge while he's paralyzed!" Meeks ordered.

"Raichu!" Raichu once again used his tail as a spring to charge at Kadabra, covered in electric volts.

"Reflect! Hold!" Bran yelled.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra unleashed a rainbow barrier in front of himself. Raichu slammed into it head on, taking damage as the kinetic impact slightly shook Kadabra.

"Get him out from close range!" Bran followed up. "Psybeam!"

"Bra!" Kadabra launched a close range Psybeam at Raichu.

"Duck, and use Brick Break!" Meeks wanted to break that Reflect.

"Raichu!" Raichu ducked his head from the powerful Psybeam attack as it fizzled towards the other side of the field. He charged at Kadabra once more, this time with a glowing fist.

"Shadow Ball!" Bran was determined to keep Raichu away.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra launched a shadowy sphere, striking Raichu at point blank range.

"Chu!" Raichu flew back from the impact.

"Use your tail and use Slam on Kadabra!" Meeks yelled.

"Raichu!" Raichu wrapped his tail around Kadabra, lifting him up.

"Throw him down!" Meeks raised his fist in the air.

Raichu slammed Kadabra with such force, sending a small dust cloud into the air.

"Kadabra…" Kadabra was weary, but he still stood strong.

"Hang in there, Kadabra!" Bran encouraged his pokemon. "You have to hold! You have to survive!"

Meeks admired Bran's determination, a brave stand against an aggressive foe. It reminded him of the days of the war, where the dreadful experiences helped form his offensive battle style.

"Brick Break! Go!" Meeks began another assault.

Raichu charged at Kadabra once again.

"Shadow Ball!" Bran responded.

"Kadabra!" Kadabra unleashed the shadowy sphere in hopes to break Raichu's offensive.

Shadow Ball hit Raichu head on. As the smoke cleared, Raichu still charged as if the direct hit didn't bother him one bit.

"Chu!" Raichu struck Kadabra, thus breaking Reflect.

"Defenses are down! Now spring back and end this with Wild Charge!" Meeks commanded.

Raichu jumped back, preparing to lunge forward with a potential knockout blow from the high voltage attack that is Wild Charge.

"Psybeam! Now!" Bran yelled.

Kadabra quickly launched Psybeam just as Raichu closed in on him. The result was a massive explosion that rocked the field. Kristine had to hold on to her visor with one hand as she shielded her eyes with the other.

The smoke cleared a moment later. Kadabra was on both knees, perhaps prepared to make a last desperate stand. Fortunately for him and Bran, Raichu was knocked out.

"Raichu is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Kadabra wins! Therefore, the winner of this match is Bran Riken!"

"We've won this!" Bran threw his fist in the air.

"Way to go, Bran!" Kristine cheered. She realized this was the first time she witnessed Bran, who was often quite collective, expressing powerful emotions. She could tell he really wanted to win this one. And while the strategy of speed faltered against Raichu, Bran showed resolve reminiscent of Jason, she thought. She began to believe these gym battles brought out one's true character.

The spectators began to cheer for Bran. Meeks walked over to him after recalling Raichu. Bran recalled Kadabra right after.

"You see, I test one's ability to handle the pressure," Meeks said. "You did that when I took your advantage of speed away. May I present you the Power Badge."

Meeks handed Bran the Power Badge. The audience cheered once more.

"Three down, only nine to go!" Bran cheered.

"The closest gym from here is in Raley City to the south," Meeks continued. "Team Valor hosts the gym there. Scarlet is a real trip, but she will test your passion for battling."

"Thank you, sir," Bran smiled.

"You're going to be a strong trainer with that calm head of yours, no doubt," Meeks complimented. "Go get 'em."

Meeks turned around to head back towards the other side of the field and its exit. Bran walked off the battlefield as Kristine walked up to him.

"Hey, congrats!" she said.

"I appreciate it," Bran replied. "Thanks for coming to watch me. It means a lot."

"Yeah, no problem!" Kristine smiled.

* * *

Meeks walked into the atrium upon exiting the battlefield.

"Sir!" a teenaged member of Team Power ran up to him. "Want me to take care of your pokemon?"

"Yeah, make sure they're ready for the next battle, lad," Meeks handed him the three pokeballs.

"Will do!" the teen seemed eager to assist Meeks.

"Reminds me of me when I was his age," Meeks muttered, chuckling.

"Mr. Meeks?" Meeks heard a voice behind him. He turned around to see a man with brown, spiky hair and glasses and wearing an ocean camo shirt and baggy pants. "Name's Joe, from the IOCI. May I have a few moments of your time?"

"IOCI, eh?" Meeks became curious as to why this man was here. "How can I help you?"

"Yesterday, a young trainer found a beached dratini that suffered from some kind of substance," Joe explained.

"I've heard. It was on the paper this morning," Meeks mentioned. "And I know her too. Kristine Kyar. Sharp lass. Good kid."

"Right. Figured the media outlets would write a heartwarming story. Do they still print papers?"

"As long as I still get them, it's safe to say yes. But chatter aside, what's your point?"

"My point is about the substance itself, which is exactly why I came to you," Joe said as he pulled out a scanner from his pocket. "The substance is unlike anything I have ever seen, and I don't believe it's natural."

"Hmm," Meeks studied the screen on the scanner.

"Our researchers can't determine what it is," Joe continued. "Perhaps –"

"I have an old colleague and mentee who shares the same name as you that could help," Meeks interrupted. "But just by looking at it, I don't believe that's necessary. What were the symptoms?"

"Violent wailing, from what I've heard. Aggressive attacks on all vital organs, even on muscle tissue. This thing was going to kill dratini. And if it's artificial, we need to find out who is trying to kill pokemon."

"Oh dear…" Meeks sighed.

"What's wrong?" Joe asked.

"I don't believe the intent was to kill pokemon," Meeks explained. "During the War, the oppressors injected their combat pokemon with a substance known as Crimson Wrath. It made them fearless of conflict, and worse, it enhanced their moves to be so powerful, they were lethal.

"Before we even launched a liberation campaign in Kalos, we tried to mimic Crimson Wrath. Test subjects were usually the weaker, non-evolved pokemon. That was the first stage of testing. When we successfully mastered it, we used it on fully evolved pokemon."

"Hardly surprising such a thing was deployed during the War, but us of all people?" Joe seemed disgusted.

"It wasn't humanity's finest hour," Meeks regretfully admitted. "The logic was that this method was how Kalos was invaded and taken by surprise, and we needed to fight fire with fire. The ironic and tragic thing about the War was that we fought to stop the monsters, but we became monsters ourselves in the process."

"That's why you fought to disarm the regions after the War," Joe said.

"Right," Meeks nodded. "Crimson Wrath supplies were abundant in Inventum, Kalos, and even Unova after the War. Once the disarm deal was signed, we all agreed to eradicate all supplies and the blueprints as if it never existed. Guess I was a fool to believe no one would try to develop it again."

"Someone or some people must be trying to develop it," Joe insisted. "We need to go out into the ocean and find the source of this."

"Easier said than done," Meeks crossed his arms.

"What do you mean?" Joe seemed surprised of Meeks' reaction.

"You of all people know that the ocean is one big place," Meeks replied. "Let's say you find these people. What then?"

"Can't you send your boys and girls and put these people behind bars?"

Meeks scoffed. "Most of them are literally boys and girls. Did you see the kid taking off with my pokemon? Team Power is shifting to conservation and community service efforts. The people who know how to handle situations like you're describing are old men like myself who like retelling war stories from time to time. And believe me, I'm the only old man of the bunch who can breathe and walk independently, let alone remember what I ate for breakfast."

"Well, can't you do anything yourself?"

Meeks stepped over to pat Joe on the shoulder. "You know, you remind me of an old colleague and mentee of mine who shares the same name as you when he was your age. I'm old. Ol' Raichu is old, but he still loves his battles. I wouldn't be of much help. But the police might be able to investigate –"

"But that's going to take time!" Joe snapped.

"Then you won't like my next response. If these people are operating in international waters, which I guarantee you they are if they're smart, then contact international police."

"Interpol? You're right. I don't like that response. It'll take weeks for them to even see my request!"

"These are your best options, son. Provide them with hard evidence, and you will get your case expedited. I promise you."

"There's no time. You and I both know for each passing day, they will get closer to perfecting what you're describing."

"You're right," Meeks sighed again. "If I could help, I would, without a doubt. But we are in no condition to fight."

"I understand," Joe briefly looked down. "I'll notify the police," he said before he departed. "Thank you for the information, sir. Good day to you."

"Anytime," Meeks gave a nod.

As Joe stormed off, Meeks stood there momentarily.

"Yeah, you're going to tell the police," he muttered, predicting Joe's plans. "Then you're going to investigate yourself when their answers won't satisfy you enough."

* * *

Adam Kindler is a pokemon breeder who is well respected in Richland Port. Having been a breeder for over fifteen years, he took over his father's business recently and has continued the practice of breeding compatible pokemon for people throughout Richland Port and beyond. With short red hair and a freckled face, his likeness had been somewhat of a household icon among the locals.

If they exist, he bred them. That was his reputation. His farm was home to many of his own pokemon. There were sunflora, azumarill, pikachu, stoutland, and many others, including a snoozing snorlax in the middle of the field. He had met many requests and inquiries, but his next task may prove challenging: breeding swellow for those who want taillow.

It wasn't a complicated request on paper. Adam had his male swellow, but all he needed was a female swellow. He contemplated how he was going to approach this task when his prayers seemed answered as a female swellow suddenly flew overhead.

"Swellow!" Adam's swellow, who stood right by him, looked up.

"That's a female swellow, all right!" Adam smiled. "But there's no doubt she belongs to a trainer. Let's go see who she belongs to, huh Swellow?"

"Swellow!" Adam's swellow agreed.

* * *

Jason strolled along within a pokemon park abundant with trees, plants, and even battlefields for trainers to participate in skirmishes. To top it all off, there was a lake in the center in the shape of a pokeball, with a bridge going across to successfully divide both halves. His pokemon had dispersed, and he was looking around to see what they were up to. He had encouraged them to keep training for the battles to come.

Magikarp was at the lake for sure, so Jason needed to find out where the four other pokemon were. As he walked along, he noticed Kirlia and Riolu skirmishing together. Curious as to how they were practicing, Jason approached them.

Kirlia used Confusion to lift up Riolu. Acting quickly, Riolu used his new move, Shadow Claw, to project a ghostly projection of a claw in order to strike Kirlia. Kirlia used Protect to shield herself from the attack, closing her eyes and looking away from what she interpreted to be a terrifying attack. Riolu was released from Confusion as he maintained a fighting stance.

"Whoa," even Jason became uneasy by Riolu's Shadow Claw. He didn't want to discourage Riolu, however.

"Okay," he smiled. "Let's go find Jolteon and Swellow, okay?"

Both Kirlia and Riolu agreed.

Jason continued through a wooded area alongside Kirlia and Riolu. Moments later, he heard the sounds of electricity being emitted nearby.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon appeared to be harnessing electric energy, preparing to use Wild Charge.

"Hey Jolteon!" Jason greeted.

This broke Jolteon's focus, as he turned to greet Jason.

"Now where's Swellow?" Jason wondered.

"Swellow!" Swellow flew overhead, preparing to land before Jason.

"There you are!" Jason waved. Swellow made the landing seconds later.

"Looks like you all were getting some training in," Jason addressed. "Good work. We'll have to get ready for the next gym in Raley City. They say Scarlet is one tough gym leader. You know what that means? We'll have to be tougher!"

All pokemon shouted their names in approval.

"Now let's go round up Magikarp. Then we can –"

"Excuse me! You there!" Jason heard a man's voice. He turned his head to see a man, possibly in his late 20s to early 30s, with red hair and freckles on his face. He had a swellow next to him.

"Name's Adam," the man introduced himself. "Sorry to interrupt you. Is that your swellow?"

"Yes she is," Jason proudly admitted. "Except I prefer our terms to be in partnership. It's not like I own her."

"Right. Of course," the man gave a nod. "I'm a pokemon breeder here in Richland Port. My farm's less than a mile away from here. I saw Swellow fly and thought I'd see where she went."

"May I ask why?" Jason seemed inquisitive.

"See, I have a demanding market for taillow. My swellow right here is a male, and I would just need a female swellow."

Adam took a closer look at Jason's swellow. "Yes, yes. She's perfect. Perfectly healthy and visually appealing. Young man, I can pay you handsomely to –"

"She's not for sale," Jason interrupted. "So uh, have a nice day," he began to depart, with all but Swellow following him.

"I see, maybe I am sending the wrong message to you," Adam continued.

"No I get it," Jason turned around. "You're in a business to make money. You need a female swellow so you can keep your customers happy. Sorry, but I'm a trainer, and my only business is battling."

"Dear boy, it's much more than making money," Adam smiled. "Breeding pokemon is a way of life. Trust me, I love it just as much as you love being a trainer. I make money because I need a roof over my head and food to eat. I love pokemon, and I love making people happy. Sorry if I got off the wrong way by using possessive terms; my customers keep pokemon as pets."

Jason heard Adam's message loud and clear. He also noticed that his swellow did not follow alongside him. Instead, she appeared to be interested by the proposition, in addition to being attracted by the slightly larger male swellow.

"Swellow?" Jason tried to get her attention.

"Swellow," Swellow turned to face Jason.

"Would you like to come with me to my farm and see what this is all about?" Adam asked.

"Sure," Jason accepted. "Let me get my magikarp first."

After Jason returned to the lake to retrieve Magikarp, he followed Adam to his farm just outside the park. There, all of Jason's pokemon made themselves feel at home while he placed Magikarp in a nearby pond with other water pokemon.

"This is Kindler Farm," Adam said. "This has been a family run farm for generations. I just took over for my father a few years ago. He hasn't been doing too well, lately."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jason expressed his sympathy.

"I appreciate it," Adam smiled.

Both swellow got closer together. They lightly chirped towards one another.

"Well," Adam chuckled. "They seem to be getting a long quite well so quickly.

"Can pokemon bond together that quickly?" Jason asked.

"Sure," Adam nodded. "Think about it. If they took forever to make important decisions, no trainer would have a full team of six pokemon. Pokemon seem to have that one thing in common and it's having that instinct to make those important decisions. They really know what's best for them."

"Yeah…" Jason looked on. He suddenly became nervous of Swellow's growing attraction to the male swellow. Then he was in silent denial. _Swellow wants to be part of my team all the way until the end. It's okay._

He looked around. Dozens of pokemon seemed to be enjoying themselves, from playing around to just relaxing. Not to mention the sleeping snorlax in the center.

"You've made this quite the paradise," Jason complimented.

"Thanks," Adam grinned. "That's the true reward for being a breeder."

Jason then noticed both swellow were being friendlier towards one another.

"Well, aren't they getting flirty?" Adam laughed.

"Is that what it is?" Jason remained dense. Alerted by Adam's comment, he began to approach the two.

"Okay," he stated. "That's –"

"Let it play out," Adam suggested. "You don't seem to be quite comfortable."

"Swellow is a part of a team," Jason explained. "You can't just take her from that."

"Hey," Adam placed his hand on Jason's shoulder. Jason had the urge to swat it away, but he resisted.

"These decisions are not up to me or you," Adam replied. "It's up to both swellow. They have free choice just as much as we do."

"Yeah," Jason sighed. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about."

Jason looked to see how happy Swellow was becoming. _Does she really want to move on and start a family? She really likes Adam's swellow._

"I'll give you and your swellow some time to think it through," Adam continued. "Does that sound good to you?"

"Yeah," Jason replied. "We should figure out what's best. I mean, Swellow should figure out what's best for her, too."

"Take your time," Adam smiled. "I'll be in touch, okay?"

"Okay," Jason nodded. A short while later, he left with all of his pokemon.

* * *

So this guy wants Swellow to breed with his swellow?" Kristine asked later that night.

The twins were winding down for the day in their room at the pokemon center. Jason had previously explained to her what happened with Adam at his farm.

"Yeah," Jason replied. "I don't know what to think about it."

Kristine took a seat before the computer terminal, accessing the extranet in order to research Adam. "And what did you think of the place?"

"It was great, really. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves."

"And what did Swellow think?"

Jason paused for a moment.

Kristine then turned around to face him. "What did she think?"

"I –" Jason was hesitant to reply. "I think she likes Adam's swellow."

"Then let's see how this plays out tomorrow."

"She's supposed to travel with us across Inventum," Jason said. "We're nowhere near finished yet."

"Sometimes, things come up. Swellow is an adult female pokemon in her prime. She's been at your side for months, and traveled with you across the Mountains. Maybe she needs to figure out what she wants to do, as well."

"So I guess we go back tomorrow and spend the day there?"

Kristine nodded. "I'm going with you."

"I can handle this."

"I know. But I'm still going with you."

Jason sighed, and proceeded to sit down on his bed.

"Look," Kristine got up. "It might be hard, but you value your relationship with pokemon as partnership, not ownership, right? That means your pokemon have free choice. You'll be doing a favor to Swellow for bringing her back and having her choose her own future."

"I suppose," Jason looked up at Kristine. "But what if she decides to stay? What if she doesn't want to continue on with us?"

"It would be hard to handle. I can only imagine. But you must face this possibility."

It occurred to Jason why Kristine was coming with him to the farm. It seemed as if she had a feeling something was going to happen, and whatever what that might be, Jason was going to need her.

* * *

The next day, Jason and Kristine went to Adam's farm.

"Here it is," Jason said.

The two walked underneath a wooden arch leading into the farm.

"It's a nice place all right," Kristine observed all the pokemon surrounding her. "And there's a sleeping snorlax."

"Yeah, he hasn't moved," Jason chuckled.

Moments later, Adam emerged from his house and approached the twins, with his swellow next to him.

"Welcome back Jason," he greeted. He noticed Kristine. "Hi there. Name's Adam."

"Kristine Kyar," Kristine introduced herself. "I'm Jason's sister."

"I see. Well, I gave Jason and his swellow some time to think following yesterday's visit. I know this was very prompt."

"Yes, but we are beginning to understand how pokemon think," Kristine replied.

"Go ahead and release all your pokemon," Adam suggested.

Jason and Kristine did just that, summoning all of their pokemon so they could enjoy themselves at the farm. Riolu took Magikarp to the nearby pond upon Jason's request.

Swellow quickly noticed Adam's swellow and approached him.

"Awe, that's cute," Kristine noticed both swellow's affection towards one another.

"Come walk with me," Adam suggested to the twins. "Then we can see how both swellow are doing."

Jason looked at Swellow. He could clearly see her bonding with Adam's swellow. _I wonder when she started thinking of moving on?_

Jason and Kristine followed Adam around his house towards a garden in the back yard, also filled with different pokemon, many of them grass and bug types.

"Wow," Kristine seemed amazed at the different types of flowers and trees planted throughout, making it a vibrant, colorful landscape of many colors from cooler, lighter ones to warmer, darker ones.

"So tell me about yourselves," Adam spoke. "I've seen you two on television winning the Power Duo."

"Yep, that was us," Kristine smiled.

"And Jason, how did you and your swellow meet?"

"It was just a couple days after we started our journey, all the way back near Mountain Spring in the mountain regions," Jason replied. "I caught her as taillow."

"Ah, that's part of the collection of towns near Cheron Forest, isn't it?" Adam mentioned. "It's a tragedy what's been happening to it. I'm very sorry."

"Last we've heard, Team Mystic is gaining ground," Kristine said. "They've responded faster than anyone would have ever expected."

"Ah yes, Aria. I've met her. You know, it was her father who purchased her eevee from my father."

"No way! What a small world we live in, huh?" Kristine chuckled.

"It would appear that way," Adam smiled. He then looked at Jason. "Was taillow your first catch?"

"Yeah," Jason nodded. "My very first catch."

"I see."

"We've traveled for months to reach where we are today," Kristine added. "All of our pokemon have been through a lot. We've gained valuable experience, too."

"And Jason," Adam said. "How would you describe Swellow?"

Jason paused for a moment, trying to come up with a response. "Strong. Determined. Fierce. A good companion."

Both Adam and Kristine knew about both swellow's attraction towards one another. In the pokemon world, they were on track to be in love with each other imminently. This was going to be very difficult for Jason to accept. Because Swellow is a female, she would have to stay behind if she so chooses to do that.

After the group walked across the garden, Adam led them towards the back porch of his house. Adam and Kristine noticed Jason was lost in his own deep thoughts.

"Why don't you take a seat for a while and relax?" Adam asked.

"Yeah," Jason sat down on a wooden rocking chair.

"Come inside with me, Kristine," Adam led her in.

"Sure," Kristine said.

"So, tell me about your brother," Jason overheard Adam say to Kristine before he closed the sliding glass door leading into the house.

Jason remained in deep thought, wondering what Swellow was going to do and what he was going to do after this. He always thought his team was cemented, committed to going on the way, and he only needed one more pokemon to fully complete the team. The very thought of Swellow leaving would change everything.

Jason leaned forward, putting his hands over his face. "What am I going to do?" he muttered.

* * *

A while later, Kristine came out. "Hey," she put her hand over his shoulder. "I helped Adam make an early dinner. Let's eat."

Jason complied, and followed Kristine inside the house.

"Your sister's quite the cook," Adam mentioned. "She knows her regions, and lifestyles quite well, actually."

"Yeah, she pretty much does all the cooking," Jason replied.

The three sat at a dining table in the kitchen, which had black and white checkered tiling and white walls. Jason engulfed his sandwiches and stew in a matter of minutes.

"Remarkable," Adam muttered.

"That's my brother," Kristine smiled.

"Sorry, I get hungry when I think too much," Jason said.

After everyone finished eating, it soon became time. The inevitable occurred; Jason and Swellow were at a crossroads and they needed to figure out where to go from there.

Jason walked out through the front door as the sun began to set. He saw both swellow cuddling with one another. Taking a deep breath, he approached them.

Swellow, noticing Jason, approached him as well.

Jason kneeled down match Swellow's height. The two looked at each other, both with watery eyes, and no words were said at first.

"Is this what you want, Swellow?" Jason finally mustered the courage to ask.

Swellow turned around to face her new companion. She then turned back to face Jason, and gave a clear nod.

"Okay," Jason held back his tears. "Then I want you to do promise me this," his voice was shaky. "Promise me you will be the best mother you will ever be. Be the best swellow there could possibly be."

Swellow looked at Jason momentarily. "Swellow," she chirped.

Jason reached in to hug her. Swellow put her head over Jason's shoulder as a sign of comfort. Jason then pulled out her pokeball.

"I've never done this before," he muttered. His hands shaking, he managed to press and hold the button on the center of the ball. While simply pressing it released a red beam that would recall the pokemon, holding it for a prolonged period of time would emit a blue beam, thus unbinding the pokemon from the pokeball.

Jason remembered the times he had with Swellow during this process, from the capture to the attempted rescue when he, Ralts, and Eevee were trapped against a group of gastly. How she played a big role alongside Fletchinder against Justin and Fiona, and how she was determined to not give up following the devastating defeat to Alex. He remembered when she evolved from Taillow, and knew how lucky he was to have such a committed pokemon. She also played a role in saving his life in the Nappalchan Mountains, risking her own safety to spread the message that he was in danger. She was quite the pokemon all right, one that couldn't be replaced so easily.

A blue beam outlined Swellow. It was as if all the energy was sucked out of both of them at that moment. It was done. It was the end of a chapter for both Jason and Swellow, as they soon would go in separate directions.

Jolteon and Kirlia approached Swellow to bid their farewells. Riolu grabbed Magikarp and the two did the same. Even Espeon, Fletchinder, Pikachu, Machop, and Snorunt approached Swellow.

After everyone said their goodbyes, Jason got up.

"I will visit you before I leave the city," Jason assured Swellow.

"Swellow!" Swellow gave a nod.

Moments later, Jason and Kristine recalled all of their pokemon.

"I promise you Swellow will be in the best of care," Adam said. "Best of luck on your journey forward, you two! Feel free to stop by anytime. I always appreciate good company."

Jason and Kristine waved goodbye as they crossed underneath the archway and left the farm.

Then came another reminder as to why Kristine was here in the first place.

"Swellow," Jason spoke as he trembled.

"It's going to be okay, Jason," Kristine spoke calmly.

"I'm going to miss her so much," Jason burst into tears, having bottling up how he really felt until now.

"Hey hey," Kristine leaned in to hug Jason. "It's going to be okay."

"She's a good pokemon! And there was still so much left to explore!"

"I know," Kristine held onto him. "I'm going to miss having Swellow with us too. She's going to miss us as well. She's going to miss you, and all of your pokemon."

"You just can't replace Swellow that easily!"

"I know. She's irreplaceable. Let her fighting spirit inspire all of our pokemon for the battles to come. Besides, you know where she will be."

"We're going to make Swellow proud of us," Jason continued sobbing. "I promise, this journey will not count for nothing. And the next two pokemon who come along will know who Swellow is. We will never forget that Swellow helped us get to where we are right now."

"Come on," Kristine calmly suggested. "Let's get some good rest."

"Right," Jason agreed.

The two walked back to the pokemon center, where Jason managed to fall asleep quickly on his bed. Tomorrow would be a new day, and Kristine knew she was going to have to find a way to cheer Jason up.


	32. The Fiery Troublemaking Duo!

**A/N: I've changed the rating from K+ to T to be on the safe side. I have no plans to add expletives or enhanced violent scenes, but from details described (ie: one of the Pokémon in this chapter, romance between a couple adult characters) not to mention the lore of this fanfic (the war especially), as well as life or death situations at play, I could be crossing the threshold into T if I haven't already. I have no plans to change the style of writing; I'm just changing the rating to be on the safe side.**

* * *

Jason woke up the next morning. He had the usual post-sleep groggy mind where he wasn't completely aware of his surroundings or events that occurred in his short term memory. Then it kicked in. Swellow was no longer going to travel with Jason, and he was down to four committed pokemon.

Jason sighed. He leaned over to face the window, where light shined through the white curtains. "Seems pretty late out there."

He wasn't in the mood to get up. But at the same time, he couldn't bare the thought of lying in bed all day. It wouldn't be fair for his pokemon, either. So he mustered all the energy he could to simply get out of bed. He looked over to see the digital clock by the computer terminal.

"10:15 in the morning, great," Jason sighed again. "Okay, let's get going."

Not to his surprise at all, he quickly noticed Kristine wasn't in the room. He wondered why she never bothered to wake him up, however. He expected her to be stern in her efforts to help him cope with Swellow's departure from the team. But she also seemed to have a knack for knowing what people are going through and how to handle those situations.

Jason then came to the realization that Kristine did not just simply leave him alone to sleep in hours past the crack of dawn where he normally wakes up. Knowing her, she had something up her sleeve. Jason just didn't know exactly what Kristine had in mind.

Moments later, Kristine walked in the room.

"Morning bro!" she smiled, holding a pan topped with a silver lid with both hands. "I brought you breakfast from downstairs."

"Hey, thanks," Jason approached her.

"I brought you eggs, fruit, and pancakes," she continued.

"Pancakes huh?" Jason's ears perked.

"Thought you would appreciate it," Kristine smiled. "Wouldn't hurt to pack on the carbs once in a while."

Jason happily took the food and sat down at the dining table nearby. "Wait a sec," Jason looked at her. "You're not letting me stay in here, are you?"

"Nope," Kristine maintained her smile. "You're going out as soon as you're done."

"Eh," Jason shrugged, and rapidly devoured his food.

"Must've been starving, I guess," Kristine snickered.

"You know, I've been hungry lately though I think I've eaten a lot," Jason mentioned.

After Jason finished eating, he went to the bathroom to put on his trainer's clothes. He then walked out to meet Kristine.

"Okay, what am I doing today?" he played along.

"Follow me," she said. Jason complied and followed her out of their room and down the hallway.

There, he saw Julian before him, leaning against the wall to his right.

"Hey Jason," he greeted. "Kristine told me everything. Sorry man."

"It's fine," Jason simply replied. "The only thing you can do is put one foot forward and keep going, huh?"

"That's the spirit," Julian chuckled.

"See you tonight, Jason!" Kristine waved goodbye as she headed towards the stairwell.

"Wait," Jason seemed puzzled. "What am I doing?"

"You're hanging out with your friend and enjoying yourself," she instructed.

"What are you doing?"

"Enjoying myself."

"Where are you going?"

Kristine shrugged.

"Where am I going?"

Both Julian and Kristine shrugged.

"Let's play it by ear," Julian suggested.

"Sounds like my kind of day," Jason accepted.

"Thought you'd like a day with no actual plans," Kristine added. "See you tonight!" she then left the hallway and proceeded downstairs.

"Well," Julian said. "What do you want to do?"

"Explore, I guess?" Jason suggested. "Where have you not been?"

"So, we've covered the beach and entertainment districts," Julian mentioned. "And the medical district, technically."

"Have you been towards the western outskirts?" Jason asked. "There's a park there. And the ranch where Swellow is."

"Not yet, but let's avoid those areas. Southwest, maybe?"

"Sounds good to me. Let's do it."

The two then proceeded out of the pokemon center, strolling along the sidewalk as they made their way to the southern part of Richland Port. The cityscape gave way to grassy, hilly terrain and dirt roads. They soon entered the scarcer part of the city, where the wilderness was not too far away.

Jason and Julian found a small settlement overlooking Richland Port. There were stone and wooden buildings, and the two began to explore the settlement while walking on a cobblestone path.

"It's like an older side to the city," Julian observed.

"Kristine mentioned the other night Richland Port is Inventum's second oldest city," Jason added.

"And the first?"

"Arentine, in the Sol Peninsula."

As Jason and Julian continued along the path, they realized people were out and about as if this settlement was like any other. There was a general store to along with gift shops, cafes, and even a small pokemon clinic.

"It's like a slice of simple life right next to the big city," Julian said.

"I really miss home from time to time," Jason replied. "Don't you?"

"The city life gets overwhelming," Julian nodded. "I like the countryside."

"I like the quietness and the fresh air," Jason agreed. "Helps me focus."

Just then, a growlithe came running out into the road from an alleyway. Right behind him was a vulpix. Both pokemon ran right by Jason and Julian.

Jason immediately noticed an eyepatch over the growlithe's left eye.

"A growlithe and vulpix?" Julian said. "Looks like they're in a hurry."

"Hey!" a woman with dyed blue hair bolted from around the corner. "Come back! The wilderness won't be kind to you!"

"Sounds like a couple pokemon running away," Jason noticed.

The woman ran down the road, but it was clear the growlithe and vulpix were running faster than her.

"Ugh," the woman ran out of steam as she tried to catch her breath in the middle of the road.

"Should we help?" Julian asked Jason.

"Why not?" Jason replied.

The two decided to approach the woman.

"Hey," Jason said. "You need any help?"

"Those two are a couple troublemakers," the woman seemed frustrated.

"Where do you think they headed off?" Julian asked.

"My best guess is the wilderness," the woman replied. "Name's Kinsey."

"I'm Julian," Julian introduced himself.

"And I'm Jason," Jason added.

"Pleasure," Kinsey still tried to catch her breath. "You're trainers, aren't you?"

"Yep," Jason nodded.

"Think you can help me round up these two and take them back to the shelter?" Kinsey requested.

"Shelter?" Jason asked. "Like a pokemon shelter?"

"Yep, like a pokemon shelter. I help run the shelter just a couple blocks away from here. If you help me round them up, I'll take you back there and explain everything to you!"

"Let's do it," Julian suggested.

"Yeah," Jason agreed.

Jason, Julian, and Kinsey proceeded away from the settlement and towards the forest nearby.

"Pidgeotto, go!" Julian summoned his pokemon.

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto greeted.

"Search for a growlithe and vulpix traveling together nearby," Julian instructed.

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto complied, and took off.

Jason reached for Swellow's former pokeball before realizing it was unoccupied. He felt as if his team was incomplete without her.

"Come on out, Jolteon!" he threw out Jolteon's pokeball.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"We need to find that growlithe and vulpix!" Jason spoke. "Let's pick up their scent and find them!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon nodded and took off.

"Let's follow Jolteon!" Jason suggested.

Jason, Julian, and Kinsey followed Jolteon into the wilderness. Jason was surprised to see such a heavily forested area so close to a major city.

"And to think there's a wilderness next to Richland Port," Jason looked around.

"There's laws out there that strictly limit deforestation," Kinsey explained. "Why do we still have dirt roads when there's so much advanced technology?"

"Good point," Julian noted.

The three proceeded in the same direction Jolteon took off to. Moments later, they heard a loud roar.

"What's that?" Julian became alert.

"That's not coming from our pokemon," Jason said. "Let's check it out."

They ran towards the loud roaring, wondering what was going on. They soon stumbled upon Growlithe and Vulpix, their backs against a tree as they were confronted by an ursaring, a massive and fierce ursa-like pokemon who can stand on both feet. In between them was Jolteon. Pidgeotto was flying overhead.

"Found them!" Jason pointed out.

"Didn't take too long," Julian looked up. "Good job, Pidgeotto!"

"Yeah, well, let's not celebrate just yet," Kinsey warned. "Looks like Growlithe and Vulpix got themselves into trouble again. Whatever they did irritated this ursaring and its not backing down."

"Ursa!" the wild ursaring roared vigorously. This alarmed Growlithe and Vulpix, but they looked on at Jolteon, who stood his ground. His defiance helped give them courage against a powerful pokemon.

"Jolt!" Jolteon stepped forward, warning Ursaring to back away.

"Ursaring!" the ursaring pounded its chest, not backing down.

"This one is a proud one," Kinsey spoke. "Its likely extremely territorial and possessive. There's no doubt that Growlithe and Vulpix angered it immensely, by accident, of course."

"You got this, Jason?" Julian faced him.

"We've got this!" Jason spoke with confidence. "Hold your ground, Jolteon!"

"Ursa!" Ursaring made the first attack, charging at Jolteon with its claws at the ready.

"Dodge, and use Agility!" Jason responded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon ran to his right, forcing Ursaring to slow down and causing him to stumble.

Jolteon rapidly picked up speed, causing Ursaring to lose focus on his opponent.

"Now use Thunder Shock!" Jason followed up.

"Jolt!" Jolteon zapped Ursaring from a safe distance, making a direct impact from Thunder Shock.

"Ursa!" Ursa attempted to shake off the attack like nothing happened, but his painful grunts gave it away.

"Wild Charge, let's go!" Jason commanded.

"Jolt-eon!" Jolteon charged at Ursaring, covered by electricity. Ursaring made to effort to counter the move or even dodge it. Jolteon struck the center of the ring-like pattern of Ursaring's stomach. The powerful impact sent it slamming back against a tree.

"Ursa…" Ursaring was slow to get up. When it did, it simply retreated deeper into the wilderness, leaving Growlithe and Vulpix alone.

"Good job, Jolteon!" Jason cheered.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked. He then faced Growlithe and Vulpix.

"Growl!" Growlithe barked back in approval.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix showed his gratitude.

"You made short work of that ursaring," Julian patted Jason on the back. "Good job."

"You sure did!" Kinsey ran up to Jason and Julian, as Jason began to recall Jolteon. She then approached Growlithe and Vulpix.

"You guys got yourselves into trouble again!" she had the urge to scold, but she knew she had to be patient. She spoke firmly, hoping the message would sink in. "We're trying to help you at the shelter. It's a safe place for all pokemon."

Growlithe and Vulpix both looked down in shame.

"Come on, let's get back," Kinsey continued. "Everyone will be happy of your safe return."

Both pokemon complied, and began to follow Kinsey.

"Jason, Julian," Kinsey addressed the two. "Thank you so much for helping me. Please, follow me back to the shelter. I'll tell you more about these two troublemakers."

"Sounds good to me!" Julian accepted.

"For sure," Jason nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

Kinsey led Growlithe, Vulpix, Jason, and Julian back to the pokemon shelter. It was a two story building complimented by a garden similar to Adam's ranch. A fountain at the front displayed a stone statue of a seadra shooting water straight into the air.

"Here it is!" Kinsey said. The three proceeded inside the building.

"You know where to go," Kinsey looked at Growlithe and Vulpix.

The two nodded, and left the main entrance, heading towards the back garden.

"Welcome to Richland Port's largest pokemon shelter," Kinsey began to explain to Jason and Julian. "We've been up and running for over fifty years."

"Why here, and not downtown?" Julian asked.

"Because we're a sanctuary," Kinsey replied. "We provide the elements of peace, stability, and relaxation that the city can often lack."

Kinsey continued on. "Growlithe and Vulpix have been with us for little more than a month. They're young, and it looks like they've been on adventures together. A colleague of mine found them searching for food at a dumpster one evening, and convinced them to stay here."

"What's with Growlithe's eye?" Jason asked.

"We believe he damaged it when he was attacked," Kinsey gave her best educated guess. "He still has it, but it's colorless and we believe he can't see out of it. He has a scar running up and down the socket, as well."

"So Vulpix and Growlithe traveled together for a while until you guys found them," Julian summarized.

"Yep," Kinsey verified. "See, this shelter is built for lost, stranded, injured, abandoned, and even orphaned pokemon. Many pokemon here spend the remainder of their lives here, where we make their living conditions as best as possible so they could live out a peaceful life. We hope to bring joy and closure for those who lived a harsh life. Some others go to responsible pokemon owners, kept as pets. Then we have Growlithe and Vulpix."

"What makes them stand out?" Julian seemed curious.

"Well, they're adventurous for one thing," Kinsey chuckled. "We have a pokemon now and again like that. But it's not the first time these two tried to escape, and it's not the first time they irritated a wild pokemon. They angered a swarm of beedrill last week. Stumbled into an exploud's lair the week before. Who knows what they've gotten themselves into before we found them?"

"So they're just adventurous," Jason said.

"Very much so," Kinsey nodded.

"They probably don't like staying in one place for too long," Julian added.

"Which makes it a problem," Kinsey sighed. "Even if we tried to give them to a good home, there's a chance they'll escape anyways. We don't usually give pokemon to people who are out of town often.

Then it clicked, not just for Kinsey, but also for Jason and Julian.

"We're going on an adventure across Inventum," Jason said. "What if they come with us? Is that even a possibility?"

"Hmm, handing them off to a couple trainers?" Kinsey rubbed her chin. "That's actually genius!"

"I like that idea," Julian agreed.

"My only concern is that these two seem inseparable," Kinsey added. "Let's say I hand one off to each of you. How will they behave after that?"

"Well, Jason can have two and complete his team," Julian suggested.

Jason shook his head. "No. Well, let's see what they want to do, first."

"Let's go ahead and visit them out back, shall we?" Kinsey smiled, and led Jason and Julian to the shelter's garden.

Jason could see many pokemon out and about, just like Adam's farm. He could see a geodude, an electrike, a grimer, three rattata, a meowth, and even a bulbasaur at first glance. Not too far away were vulpix and growlithe. They seemed to roughhouse with one another as if they completely forgot their little adventure that happened just moments ago.

"It's as if they're siblings," Julian noticed.

Jason laughed. "Pretty much."

"Let me check them out," Julian said, pulling out his pokedex. He scanned Vulpix first.

"Vulpix, the Fox Pokemon," the pokedex analyzed. "It manipulates balls of fire to catch its prey. If you raise one from when it's young, it will grow close to you like a puppy pokémon."

"And Growlithe," Julian scanned the other troublemaker.

"Growlithe, the Puppy Pokemon. Growlithe has a superb sense of smell. Once it smells anything, this pokémon won't forget the scent, no matter what. It uses its advanced olfactory sense to determine the emotions of other living things."

"So, Growlithe doesn't need both eyes," Jason seemed impressed by the pokedex's summary of the fire-type canine pokemon.

"Granted, losing one eye means losing 20 percent of your overall vision," Kinsey added. "But Growlithe and Vulpix's primary senses are their noses, since they're both canine pokemon."

"Would it be right to separate them?" Jason asked.

"A complete separation? No," Kinsey replied.

"I'd imagine it would be like you having to leave your sister for good all of a sudden," Julian added.

"Right," Jason approached Growlithe and Vulpix. "But is she with me right now? We've been doing our own things for a bit here in Richland Port. Right before we partner up together for Raley City, of course."

Jason kneeled down before the two pokemon. "Hey there. My name's Jason, and I am a trainer."

Vulpix greeted Jason. Growlithe took one sniff towards Jason. "Growl!" he happily barked, and ran up to Jason.

"Hey, buddy," Jason began to pet Growlithe.

Julian approached Vulpix.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix walked over to Julian.

"Hey, Vulpix!" Julian kneeled down to pet Vulpix.

"But I believe what these two need is a 'soft' separation," Kinsey continued. "As long as they're together, they won't listen to anyone else. Whatever adventures they've been through, they've relied on each other. Total dependence will sever their ability to function in the world. You two are friends, right?"

"Yeah," Jason and Julian said at the same time.

"So obviously you will be seeing each other on occasion, especially since you're heading in the same direction."

To Jason, Growlithe seemed fierce, a fighter. The eye patch complimented this feature, and for each passing moment, Jason grew more affectionate towards Growlithe. The feeling was mutual.

"So, Growlithe," Jason spoke, grabbing the pokeballs from his belt. "Here's my team so far."

Jason released Jolteon, Kirlia, Magikarp, and Riolu. Kirlia held Magikarp. All pokemon greeted Growlithe.

"They've traveled with me across Inventum," Jason continued. "We're on an adventure to obtain twelve badges. We have three so far. Once we get 'em all, we can compete in the Inventum Cup. We still have much work to do, but there's a lot to see. Will you join us?"

Growlithe looked at Jason, and then his team. He glanced over at Vulpix.

"Vulpix, I like you," Julian said. "I will be going on the same journey. I have three badges out of twelve. I have my own team as well."

He looked at Kinsey. "Uh, can I release Onix here?"

Kinsey looked around. "I don't see why not. There's room."

"All right," Julian primed his pokeballs, releasing Grotle, Pidgeotto, Pancham, and Onix.

Onix roared, startling the other sanctuary pokemon before quickly realizing he was friendly. Vulpix admired the bravery Onix and the others displayed. He wasn't intimidated one bit.

"Your adventurous attitude and personality will make you a great fit," Julian continued. "Would you like to join us?"

Vulpix looked at Julian, and then his pokemon, before glancing at Growlithe.

"Consider you two still friends," Kinsey chimed in. "But now, you're also rivals. You'll be seeing each other again. I promise you. You're going to be stronger, and you're going to be seeing lots of cool stuff. Not to mention, you won't be eating from another dumpster again, or simply trying to survive."

Growlithe and Vulpix looked at each other. Whatever they went through, they seemed to take that into consideration. But they realized it was time to move on. A new chapter was going to unfold, and they both knew this was the best possible option for them. Countless adventures awaited them, not to mention battles.

They both faced their respective would-be trainers.

"Growlithe!" Growlithe barked with confidence.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix did the same.

"All right!" Jason primed an empty pokeball, the one that was never occupied.

"Welcome to the team, Vulpix!" Julian also primed an empty pokeball.

They both beamed in their respective pokemon, while the pokeballs became bound uncontested. Afterwards, they summoned their pokemon.

"Growlithe joins the team!" Jason celebrated. He didn't use Swellow's former pokeball on purpose. Perhaps he was unable to fill the void that Swellow had left behind for the time being. But he would have to cross that path for the next pokemon he would want to join his team.

"Congratulations, Vulpix!" Julian cheered.

"Just wait 'til Kristine hears about this," Jason laughed.

"So just a word of advice," Kinsey spoke. "Growlithe and Vulpix have rebellious natures. They won't listen to your commands in a day. It's going to take time. Both of you need to be patient with them. You'll find out that they're extremely loyal pokemon, and will do everything they can to aid you on your journeys. Just please promise me you will take care of them and see through that they'll become strong and disciplined."

"I promise," Jason assured her.

"We got this," Julian looked at her with confidence.

"Good," Kinsey smiled. "I have no doubt they're in right hands."

* * *

"Hi, Growlithe! Kristine greeted. The twins reunited at the pokemon center's lobby at the end of the day.

"This is my sister, Kristine," Jason introduced. "She will be traveling alongside me on our journey across Inventum. She wants the same goals as us, too. So remember, she is also our rival!"

Kristine chuckled. "Yes. Watch out, Growlithe!"

"Growl!" Growlithe barked, cautiously optimistic about the future ahead.

"All right, let's get some good rest," Jason recalled Growlithe into his new pokeball.

"Well, congrats, bro!" Kristine smiled. "So I've been wondering…"

"What's up?" Jason faced her.

"We should head out the day after tomorrow," Kristine suggested. "There's an international festival going on at the park tomorrow. Vendors from Kanto, Hoenn, Kalos, Unova, Alola, and others will be there."

"The whole world, eh?" Jason seemed intrigued.

"Yep! I think we should check it out. Maybe get some stuff, too. And then, it's time to pick up Dratini, then onwards to Raley City. Sound good?"

"For sure!" Jason agreed.

"It'll be our last chance to have fun in Richland Port. Then it's time to head back into the trail. We still gotta earn more badges!"

With Jason acquiring Growlithe the day after Swellow left the team, and Julian obtaining Growlithe's closest companion, Vulpix, the rivalry between Jason and Julian is likely to ignite in the near future. Heeding the words from Kinsey, would both trainers be able to teach discipline towards the rowdy duo?

* * *

The flames in Cheron Forest were no longer spreading. As a matter of fact, Team Mystic were regaining ground, fighting back the flames and capturing fire pokemon in the process as part of the catch-and-release strategy.

Charred bark and shrubs were all that remained in the wake of the fires that destroyed much of the forest. Despite the destruction, dozens of trainers and rangers were rescued, as were hundreds of pokemon. A combined effort, led by Aria and her Team Mystic rangers, to go along with many other volunteers, was the only reason why this tragedy did not get any worse, as it easily could have been.

As the flames were beaten back, a line of pokemon moved forward. This massive line consisted of many water pokemon, including a poliwrath, blastoise, vaporeon, ludicolo, staryu, azumarill, quagsire, pelipper, floatzel, frogadier, golduck, and many more.

Behind these pokemon were their trainers. Many of them were in Team Mystic uniforms, wearing deep blue attire. These members were supported by trainers and other volunteers that lived nearby.

"Keep the pressure up!" Aria commanded. "Everyone, fire!"

All pokemon fired their most powerful ranged water-type moves, from Water Pulse to Hydro Pump. The bulk of the flames were easily suppressed. Moments later, all that was left were small, scattered fires. The line soon dispersed to deal with the remaining flames.

All of a sudden, fire-type pokemon emerged from behind a line of smoldering trees. There were magby, magmar, ponyta, charmander, charmemelon, growlithe, and slugma, with their numbers totaling about two dozen. Many of their comrades were already captured, and to them, their very survival was compromised by a band of humans and their water pokemon. They were ready to make a last stand.

A rapidash made its way through the line of fire pokemon. Aria believed it to be the leader of this ragtag coalition of fire pokemon. She approached this rapidash, as her coalition reformed their line.

"My name is Aria," she introduced herself. "We act as defenders of this forest. We do not mean to inflict harm. None of the pokemon who traveled with you were harmed; they were captured with the intention of being released back to the Cinders. We-"

At that moment, Rapidash growled, followed by protests from the pokemon behind it, shouting their names as a way of communicating their outrage against Aria's comment.

Bradley approached Aria, standing next to her. "Remember that perhaps the reason why they're here is because the Cinders somehow became uninhabitable to them."

"Right," Aria nodded. She then began to readdress the fire pokemon. "My apologies. The Cinders seems out of the question. We will look into relocation efforts. Your opinions will matter as well. But you cannot stay here. Many pokemon have already lived here, only to have their homes destroyed by the destruction you are responsible for. We will rebuild this forest to make this place a sanctuary for these pokemon once more.

"I make you an offer. Stand down and surrender. We will capture you and I promise, if you want to remain wild, we will release you in a safe spot we have agreed upon. We are not your enemy. We work in preservation of all pokemon, including you."

All fire pokemon knew they were outnumbered. Perhaps they didn't know or quite understand the repercussions of their incursion into the forest. A moment of heated silence ensued. Aria knew one way or another, all these fire pokemon would be captured. She was trying to do so the easy way, without having to fight and risk injuries.

At last, Rapidash bowed its head. All other fire pokemon seemed to do the same. They were surrendering, under Aria's terms, putting their faith, and their survival, in her words.

"All right," Aria breathed a sigh of relief, and pulled out an empty pokeball, priming it.

"Let's get to work," Bradley said.

* * *

Aria observed the collection of dozens of pokeballs later that night, safely placed inside a large case within the upper level offices of Team Mystic's arena.

"We will find you a home," she softly spoke, keen on delivering her promise.

"Aria," Bradley approached her, holding a wireless phone. "Phone."

"Who is it?" she asked.

"The ICC."

"Inventum Conservation Committee? Already?"

"Yep. Well…"

"Bradley, who is it?"

"It's also the Secretary of the Interior."

"Micah? Okay, give it here."

Bradley handed her the phone.

"This is Aria," she addressed.

"Hi, this is Micah, Chairperson of the ICC and appointed Secretary of the Interior," a female voice spoke. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay, and you?"

"Much better, now. I've heard of your efforts in containing the wildfire in Cheron Forest. I also understand that you've been putting together a report on pokemon migrations prior to this wildfire. I would like to bring you into Richland Port tomorrow. You would catch a flight in the morning, and meet us in the afternoon. You've also been nominated for the Medal of Courage."

"The Medal of Courage, but ma'am," Aria blushed, flattered by the offer. "This was a team effort. We all helped put out the fires, and prevented a full-scale battle from happening.

"Yes, but you are their leader. Your response and your actions were impeccable. Without your expertise and leadership skills, this could have been beyond catastrophic. Take this award of behalf of everyone involved."

"Yes ma'am," Aria spoke with confidence. "I will. For everyone involved."

"Thank you, Aria. I will forward you flight tickets. Bring with you anyone you deem necessary."

"Thank you, ma'am,"

"Rest well. You've earned it."

Micah then hung up.

"Richland Port, eh?" Bradley beamed. "You've earned this."

"They also want me to report to them ASAP," Aria explained, handing the phone back to Bradley. "They know this is pretty major, and if it weren't for us…"

Bradley walked into a nearby office to put the phone away. "Then let's deliver the best report we can to prevent another incident."

Aria paused for a moment. "Summer and Don are going."

"What?" Bradley snickered, not quite believing Aria at first as he walked out of the room and approached her. "Wait, I'm staying behind?"

Aria looked at Bradley in the eyes. "Not quite. Bradley, you're my best ranger out there. I'm not just saying that because we're…dating…but you really are. I need you to investigate the Cinders yourself. Find out what really happened. We need to know who or what drove the fire pokemon out. Something out west is drawing wild pokemon further east."

Bradley sighed. "I understand. I will go. I need to start preparing to leave tomorrow morning, right?"

Aria gave a silent nod.

"Very well. Be safe, Aria."

Bradley walked by Aria, heading for the nearby staircase.

"Bradley!" Aria caught his attention.

Bradley turned around. Aria approached him, put her hands on his shoulders, leaned up from her toes, and kissed his lips. He kissed back without hesitation.

"Be safe out there," Aria softly spoke. "Come back soon."

"I will," Bradley assured her. "I promise you."

* * *

 **The next chapter will feature an almost full battle. And Jason's last pokemon. I would say that I'm finally getting into the groove of once-a-week releases, but then Pokemon Let's Go comes out next week. I will do my best to get the next chapter out before then! Here are the movesets for Jason and Julian's new pokemon:**

 **Jason's Growlithe (Flash Fire): Fire Fang, Takedown, Flame Burst, Protect.**

 **Julian's Vulpix (Flash Fire): Fire Spin, Flame Burst, Safe Guard, Will-o-Wisp.**


	33. Battle at the Festival

**Hey everyone. Sorry about the two month hiatus. It was unplanned and unintentional (I've posted updates to my profile page). I've had to deal with long work weeks over the holidays in addition to important RL circumstances that required me to go out of town and see my family. On top of that, my laptop broke. The screen is pretty much taken over by MissingNo. At least, that's what it looks like.**

 **I've encountered setbacks yet had every intention to continue. As our protagonists' motto goes: "All the way!" Without any further delays, here is the next chapter and the final one centered around Richland Port. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Any trainers who plan on challenging Aria in Fort Lexing within the next couple days will have to postpone their battle," an anchorwoman addressed in a local news segment.

Jason and Kristine managed to catch the bit of information as they were heading out of the pokemon center. Aria's facial portrait alone on the screen lured them in, curious as to why she was featured on local television.

"Aria, the Inventum Chapter Leader of Team Mystic and the Gym Leader of Fort Lexing, is set to make a visit here in Richland Port this afternoon. She is scheduled to meet Secretary of Interior Micah Dowry along with other ICC officials, where she is expected to be awarded the Medal of Courage, the highest honor in Inventum."

"Aria's coming here?" Kristine seemed surprised, yet happy for Aria. "Maybe we can see her before we leave!"

"That'd be cool," Jason replied. "We can congratulate her."

"Aria has been well recognized for her leadership and response to the wildfire that raged in Cheron Forest," the anchorwoman continued. "Experts have claimed that her actions have saved the lives of many people and pokemon alike. As of now, the fires are 98 percent contained. But with the crisis over, the long path to restoration begins."

"It would take years for Cheron Forest to fully recover," Jason mentioned.

"I'm glad the worst is over," Kristine added.

"In related news for Aria, Blanche Dubois, the head of Team Mystic and all of its worldwide chapters, is set to fly into Richland Port from Lumiose City, Kalos later today. This will be Blanche's second visit to Inventum."

"No doubt she's coming to congratulate Aria," Kristine smiled.

"I still wonder what kind of pokemon Blanche has," Jason rubbed his chin.

"Not an articuno." Kristine smirked.

"How do you know?"

"Well, one, it's internationally illegal to capture legendary pokemon, and two, her team is on the extranet. So are her battles."

"Wait, she battles?"

"She used to battle competitively, and still does, to an extent. She's super tough, and she has a glaceon."

"I would like to challenge her."

"Maybe someday, dear brother. Of course, after I challenge her first."

The twins walked away from the television screen as soon as the news took a commercial break.

"So who's representing the festival?" Jason asked.

"Well, everyone," Kristine replied. "I looked it up last night. Pretty much all of Kalos' neighbors, as well as Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Then there's Unova, Alola, and more."

The twins proceeded outside of the pokemon center.

"Oh, one more thing," Kristine said. "Battles."

"Battles?" Jason seemed intrigued.

"Mmhmm. Trainers like to get together and battle during the festival. More often than not, a local battles someone from another part of the world. It's become somewhat of a tradition."

"Could two locals just battle for the heck of it?"

"I don't see why not."

"We should definitely get our pokemon primed up for the journey south," Jason suggested.

"Sure," Kristine agreed. "And, there's food. Lots of food."

"Food, eh?"

"Good food from all over the world."

"I like the sound of that."

"And artwork. And books. And other souvenirs."

"But food from around the world!"

Kristine smiled, yet sighed. "Of course food is all you think about."

"Not true," Jason defended.

"Okay. Food and battles."

"Accurate."

Both twins laughed from the light bantering.

* * *

Aria, Summer, and Don arrived at the airport within Richland Port. Getting off of a pristine white jumbo jet with blue letters on each side that spelled out "Inventum Airways", they entered a terminal, bustling with people and the occasional pet pokemon.

"I hear the weather's much warmer here," Summer spoke.

"Yep," Don nodded. "Not as humid as Viceport too, so that makes it perfect."

"Why is it called Viceport anyways?" Summer asked. "Kinda sounds scummy if you ask me."

"It wasn't the intention," Aria said. "Vice also means serving as next in rank, or second in command. Viceport was founded to be the second major port and biggest government body next to Richland Port. But we're going back centuries here."

"Maybe we should consider a name change? Just saying," Summer mentioned.

Don laughed. "Tell that to Spark."

The three proceeded down the terminal, and then an escalator that led them to baggage claims.

A man in a black suit and tie greeted the three. "Aria, welcome," he approached them.

"Ah, you must be here to pick us up," Aria said.

"Yep. Here to take you to Micah."

"No time to waste, huh?" Aria chuckled. "We're ready to make our presentation."

"Good. Micah wants the investigation to be expedited as much as possible."

"No time to lose," Aria agreed. "I've sent one of my rangers out west."

"You can explain that to her as well."

"Awe, no time to check out the festival!" Summer playfully pouted.

"Oh, I'm sure there's time for that," the man smiled.

* * *

"Look at this place," Jason observed. "It wasn't anything like it was a couple days ago."

The park was anything but what it was just days ago. The open fields temporarily gave way to tents and stalls, as thousands of locals strolled all over to visit shops and eateries originating from all over the world.

"Talk about a festival, all right," Kristine looked amazed.

"So much going on," Jason seemed rather intimidated.

The two approached closer to the tents, walking alongside a massive crowd of people heading into the festival. The tents seemed to encircle the lake in the center, giving the twins two directions to choose from. Without thinking, they went clockwise.

"Get your castelia cones straight from Castelia City!" one man shouted, advertising from behind the counter within his tent.

"Hey, that's Unova," Kristine seemed interested, walking right over.

"Lava cookies from halfway around the world in Hoenn!" shouted a woman from an adjacent tent.

"That sounds good!" Jason walked right over.

The twins found each other a moment after they each received their sweet treats.

"Rage candy bars! Get your rage candy bars here!" A man walked towards the twins, carrying a large tray of wrapped candy bars with both hands, while a teenage boy was collecting the money. Their appearance was obvious they were from the far east.

"Rage candy bars! We have to get some!" Jason walked over.

"Jason, if we eat too much sweets, we're gonna get sick," Kristine cautioned.

"I'm not talking about eating them now," Jason laughed. "Let's pack some up for the road ahead."

"Oh right. Good idea."

Jason purchased six candy bars from the man.

"So are you a fan of the Rage Gyarados?" the man asked.

"I'm a fan of the Crimson Gyarados from Lake Sol," Jason replied.

"You know, they say Crimson Gyarados is a direct spawn of Rage Gyarados, and someone put him there."

"But we don't know if it really exists," Kristine added.

"If Regal Milotic is real, anything can happen," Jason said.

"Ah, so Regal Milotic is real, huh?" the man and the teenage boy both seemed intrigued.

"Seen it with my own eyes," Jason wasn't sure if they would believe him.

"Maybe we should start making more candy bars named after rare lake pokemon," the man contemplated. "Like sol bites, or harmony squares."

"Ugh, dad," the teenage boy rolled his eyes.

"Just brainstorming!" the man laughed.

The twins continued down a little bit further.

"Lovely kimonos from Kanto!" a woman wearing a white and red kimono caught Kristine's attention.

"Wow, so pretty," Kristine approached her.

"We have all sorts of kimonos that fit everyone's unique personality," the woman continued.

"Sis, we're trainers," Jason tried to talk sense into her. "I don't think it's wise to wear a kimono on our travels when you can easily get it dirty or worse."

"You can always request to ship it to your home," the woman smiled.

"I like that compromise," Kristine headed inside the tent.

"But…" Jason was going to tell her it was going to be a very long time before they head home, but he smiled and decided not to do so.

A short while later, Kristine picked an elegant white kimono with green flowers drawn throughout.

"Get your rancher hats all the way from Arston!" an elderly man advertised.

"Arston?" Kristine said to Jason. "But that's still Inventum."

"Inventum's frontier," Jason replied. "I guess they still feel the need to represent themselves."

"Take the waves of Inventum's coast with style with surfboards from Casifora!" a woman shouted, standing next to a long light blue surfboard with an artistic display of a golduck painted onto it.

"The west coast!" Kristine approached the surfboard tent. "Oh, they look so cool."

"Yeah they do," Jason walked alongside her. "Maybe once we –"

"Rare antiques and souvenirs from Alola!", a well-fed, older gentleman caught Jason's attention. He had white buzzed hair and wore a light green shirt with, to Jason, what seemed to be several really long necked exeggutor embedded throughout, to go along with his white shorts. This gentleman didn't have a tent, but rather a wooden stall he perhaps built himself. There were two tables adjacent to him, each one with rare items spaced out.

"Alola, eh?" Jason walked over.

"Hey there, lad!" the man greeted.

"Hey," Jason waved. "What do you have?"

"All sorts of stuff!" the man began to elaborate. "Maps and books of Alola, not to mention our famous malasadas!"

"Malasadas?"

"Reason why I have a big stomach!" the man laughed.

"I think I'll try one. They sound good!"

"Careful now!" the man warned. "Pokemon love 'em too!"

"I'll keep that in mind! In that case, can I have five more?"

"Sure thing!"

As Jason packed the wrapped malasadas into his bag, he noticed a wooden rectangular box on the counter where the man stood behind.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Oh," the man chuckled. He removed the top of the box, revealing three pokeballs. "These are the most expensive of my rarities. Each one of these is a starter pokemon new trainers in Alola can choose from."

"Awesome!" Jason seemed interested.

"We have a rowlet, poppilo, and litten," the man explained. "Let me show them to you."

The man released all three pokemon. Rowlet, Poppilo, and Litten all greeted Jason.

"Man, I've never seen these pokemon before!" Jason pulled out his pokedex. From left to right, he scanned the pokemon, the pokedex explaining the basic details of each one.

"Rowlet, the Grass Quill Pokemon. It sends its feathers, which are as sharp as blades, flying in attack. Its legs are strong, so its kicks are also formidable."

"Rowlet!" Rowlet chirped.

Jason scanned Poppilo.

"Poppilo, the Sea Lion Pokemon. This Pokémon can control water bubbles. It practices diligently so it can learn to make big bubbles."

"Poppilo!" Poppilo clapped.

"And now, Litten," Jason scanned Litten.

"Litten, the Fire Cat Pokemon. If you try too hard to get close to it, it won't open up to you. Even if you do grow close, giving it too much affection is still a no-no."

"Fair warning," Jason muttered.

Rowlet approached Jason.

"Hey there!" Jason kneeled down to pet Rowlet.

"Rowlet!" Rowlet seemed to really like Jason.

"I see she has already grown affectionate," the man smiled. "Pokemon have that sixth sense, you know."

"I know," Jason replied, thinking of Swellow.

"For you, I got you a discount, young trainer," the man began to make an offer. "$4,000 and Rowlet is yours."

"Wait, what?" Jason thought the man was joking.

"Yep. $4,000. "I'm taking an entire thousand off!"

"But that's how much the prize money was for winning the Power Duo," Jason mentioned. "And you're selling these pokemon?"

"These pokemon are virtually non-existent in Inventum," the man defended. "They fetch high prices. Besides, I normally sell to pet owners, not trainers, which is why I'm giving you a discount."

At that moment, Kristine walked over.

"Wow, are these the Alola starters?" she seemed amazed. "I've seen a poppilo the other day!"

"Yep!" the man was proud to admit. "You a trainer too?"

"Yes sir," Kristine nodded. "So is my brother here."

"Ah yes. He and Rowlet here seem to get along pretty fast. So I'm trying to sell her to him."

"$4,000," Jason mentioned to her.

"What?" Kristine was in disbelief.

"Either way, Rowlet will go to some responsible folks," the man continued. "Rare pokemon will fetch high prices."

"Well well, hey there," the twins heard Liz, approaching right next to them from behind.

"Hey Liz!" Kristine greeted.

"I'll come back later today," Jason had a lot to think through. He wanted to spend more time with Rowlet, and on the other hand, a sixth pokemon would mean Swellow has been officially replaced, in theory and on paper.

"I'll be here all day," the man stated.

"So I've been thinking," Liz said as she stepped in front of the twins.

"Yeah?" Kristine seemed curious.

"I want a full battle over there," Liz pointed towards the nearby battlefield. "And I want to challenge you, Jason."

"Me? Why?" Jason wasn't expecting Liz to challenge him out of the blue like that.

"Because, I want to fight someone like you. No offense, Kristine. I want to fight someone who only relies on tactics and not strategy, and I know you're going to put up a fight."

"Liz I –," Jason tried to explain his team situation, only to be interrupted by Liz.

"So I challenge you to a six on six battle," Liz declared.

"Liz," Jason spoke firmly.

"What, is this not a good time or something?" Liz crossed her arms. "You seem like you always want a good challenge."

"I only have five pokemon," Jason sighed.

"Wait. I thought Pandy told me you have a growlithe."

"Huh?" Jason seemed confused. "That's true, but who told her that?"

"Julian," Liz and Kristine both said at the same time. Liz was puzzled to see Jason acting so dense. However, that did not surprise Kristine one bit.

"So that makes six, right?" Liz asked.

"Swellow left the team," Jason replied. "So I have five for the moment."

"Ah, so Swellow moved on, huh?" Liz was intrigued, yet she felt for Jason. "I'd hate for anyone of my pokemon to do that, but it's their choice at the end of the day."

"He's still trying to cope from it," Kristine stated. "Give Jason some time. Once he has a full team he'll definitely –"

"I'll battle you now," Jason accepted Liz's challenge. "But it'll have to be five versus five."

"Deal!" Liz compromised. "All right, let's battle it out!"

"I got this," Jason assured his sister as he walked by her towards the nearby field.

"If he wants to purchase Rowlet, he can have a full team!" the man added, speaking to Kristine.

"Is there a way for you to lower the price?" Kristine asked.

The man shook his head. "Rarities demand high prices."

"But this is a trainer and a pokemon we're talking about here. If you can see those two kick it off pretty well, can we come to some sort of other agreement?"

"I see where you're coming from," the man rubbed his chin. "Give me time to think. I'll watch him battle from afar."

"Thank you," Kristine smiled.

She approached the nearby field, where Jason and Liz took to opposite sides.

"I'll ref," Kristine stated.

"You ready, Jason?" Liz primed her first pokeball.

"Ready!" Jason gave a determined nod.

"Let's go, Phanpy!" Liz threw the pokeball, summoning Phanpy.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy greeted.

"All right, Riolu! Let's do it!" Jason threw out his first pokeball.

"Rio!" Riolu howled.

The battle began to draw a small crowd of around a dozen people.

"Riolu, charge Phanpy with Brick Break!" Jason commanded.

"Riolu!" Riolu ran at Phanpy.

"Rollout!" Liz responded.

"Phanpy!" Phapny rolled into the shape of a ball, barreling towards Riolu.

Jason, knowing Riolu would likely not get a hit off, had to think fast. "Riolu, dodge and use Shadow Claw!"

"Riolu!" Riolu narrowly dodged Phanpy's Rollout. Using both hands, he managed to project a ghostly claw from a short distance, swiping Phanpy and sending him tumbling over on his side.

The attack sent chills down Jason's spine. He was clearly not comfortable.

"Was that Shadow Claw?" Liz asked. "I'm impressed."

"Yep!" Jason replied. "Riolu, Brick Break one more time!"

"Phanpy, get back up and use Slam!" Liz called.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy sprung back into action.

Phanpy then quickly leaped into the air, hitting Riolu in the chest before he could subject Phanpy to Brick Break, therefore driving Riolu against the ground. Riolu fell hard on his back, but he was quick to get up.

"Now we attack!" Liz yelled. "Phanpy, Rollout!"

"Phanpy!" Phanpy rolled into a ball and bolted towards Riolu once more.

"Brick Break!" Jason commanded.

Both attacks made contact, as both Riolu and Phanpy tumbled in opposite directions.

"Shadow Claw! Now!" Jason yelled.

"Rio!" Riolu got back up, with Jason hoping to strike a quick mid-range attack.

"Dodge!" Liz responded.

Phanpy jumped, narrowly avoiding the ghostly claw that manifested from thin air.

"Take him to the ground with Slam!" Liz followed up.

Phanpy charged at Riolu once more.

"Riolu, use Reversal!" Jason responded.

Phanpy seemed to collide into Riolu head-on, but at the last second, the weary Riolu side stepped, and with one direct chop with his arm, he struck Phanpy's back, sending him crashing to the ground and rolling over several times.

"The more damage Riolu takes, the more damage Reversal does," Liz muttered to herself.

Phanpy was on the ground, unable to get up.

"Phanpy is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Riolu wins!"

"Rio!" Riolu howled.

"Good job, Riolu!" Jason cheered.

"Heh," Liz smirked, recalling Phanpy. "Well played, Jason."

She pulled out a second pokeball from her belt, priming it. "Let's go, Mankey!"

"Mankey!" Mankey greeted.

"You good, Riolu?" Jason asked.

"Rio!" Riolu replied with confidence.

"Let's use Focus Energy, Mankey!" Liz commanded.

"Mankey!" Mankey jumped up and down while pounding his chest.

"Riolu, use Reversal!" Jason responded.

"Rio!" Riolu charged at Mankey.

"Jump, and use Cross Chop!" Liz reacted.

Mankey jumped over Riolu before Riolu could land a strike. Facing down, Mankey crosses his hands, preparing to land a devastating blow.

"Dodge and Brick Break!" Jason yelled.

"Rio!" Riolu rolled backwards to avoid Cross Chop, before lunging back at Mankey with a glowing fist.

"Jump to the side and use Karate Chop!" Liz called.

"Mankey!" Mankey jumped to avoid Brick Break, and landed a hit to Riolu's side with Karate Chop.

"Rio!" Riolu tumbled over a few times, struggling to get back up.

"Finish this with Cross Chop!" Liz followed up.

"Riolu, Endure!" Jason called.

Riolu braced himself for the attack, with a blue glow outlining his body. Mankey was in position to strike.

"Halt!" Liz yelled.

"Man!" Mankey complied, standing still just a few feet away from Riolu. He was well within striking distance, but for some reason, Liz called off the attack.

"What?" Jason seemed puzzled.

Then, the blue glow vanished.

"Thunder Punch! Now!" Liz commanded.

"Mankey!" Mankey projected powerful electric energy through his fist, striking Riolu across the face. Riolu fell flat on his stomach, unable to get up.

"Holy –" Kristine muttered, stunned by Liz's call and the turn of events. She then faced Liz's side of the field. "Riolu is unable to battle! Mankey wins!"

"Mankey knows Thunder Punch?" Jason remained confused. "How-"

"You remember my ordeal with _In Your Element?_ " Liz smirked. "About that."

"So you did come around."

"I went there before you guys did. I can be a bit deceptive at times. Can't have my rivals know everything I'm doing, right?"

"Heh," Jason smirked back. "You got us good, Liz."

"Thanks. I try."

Jason recalled Riolu. "Good work, buddy."

He then primed his second pokeball. "Let's go, Kirlia!"

"Kirlia!" Kirlia took a bow as soon as she was summoned.

"Kirlia, eh?" Liz pulled out Mankey's pokeball. "Return, Mankey!"

"Playing to strengths, huh?" Jason noticed.

"Taking risks, actually," Liz corrected. As soon as Mankey was safely recalled, Liz pulled out her third pokeball.

"Go, Haunter!" she summoned.

"Haunter!" Haunter greeted.

Jason had goosebumps as soon as Haunter came out. He had no idea Liz had one.

"How did you –" he began to ask.

"The Nappalchan Mountains," Liz simply replied.

Jason looked on at Haunter. He was still haunted by the incident with the wild gastly back in Cheron Forest. And here, he stood before an evolution of gastly. He looked upon Kirlia, and to his surprise, she also expressed the same feeling and body language.

 _The eyes, we've seen the eyes before,_ Jason heard Kirlia's voice in his head. _I've seen them, in my visions._

 _What? Your visions?_ Jason responded.

"Hey," Liz waved. "Hi. Jason? It's your turn."

"Right," Jason snapped out of it. _Kirlia, we can do this. One perfect Confusion attack will get us through this._

"Use Confusion!" Jason commanded.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia waved her hands at Haunter.

"Confuse Ray!" Liz quickly responded.

"Haunter!" Haunter's eyes glowed bright white, mesmerizing Kirlia.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia looked away, her eyes closed. This broke off her attack, since she lost her focus.

"Kirlia, move around and use Future Sight!" Jason followed up.

"Kir…" Kirlia trembled. She seemed frightened by Haunter, and let it get to her.

"Haunter!" Haunter laughed.

"Seems she's afraid of ghosts," Liz smirked. "Fine. Let's make it quick and painless. Haunter, use Shadow Ball!"

"Haunter!" Haunter projected a ghostly energy ball, hurling it at Kirlia.

"Ugh!" Jason looked away, scared for Kirlia and scared of Haunter. He wanted all of this to be over as soon as possible.

"Jason! Recall!" Kristine shouted.

"Hey, no helping your twin when you're the ref!" Liz snapped.

Jason didn't react. Shadowball struck Kirlia head on, the resulting explosion covering her entire body. As the smoke cleared, Kirlia stood up, but collapsed on the floor seconds later.

"Kirlia is unable to battle," Kristine sighed. "Haunter wins."

Jason recalled Kirlia. "I'm sorry, Kirlia."

 _No, I'm sorry,_ Jason heard Kirlia's voice in his head. _I let my fears get to me, and I let you down._

 _I let my fears get to me, too,_ Jason replied.

"Geez, afraid of ghosts much?" Liz crossed her arms.

"Go easy, Liz," Kristine said. "That's a touchy subject."

"But it's a battle," Liz argued. "Fine, fine. We will revisit this later."

She then pulled out her pokeball. "Return, Haunter!"

Jason primed his next pokeball. "Get ready, Liz."

"That's my middle name," Liz smirked as she primed her next pokeball as well.

"Let's go, Jolteon!" Jason called out his starting companion.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"Go, Charmeleon!" Liz summoned her starting companion.

"Char! Charmeleon!" Charmeleon roared.

"Jolteon, use Thunder Shock!" Jason commanded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon harnessed electric energy, hurling it towards Charmeleon.

"Dragon Rage! Evaporate it!" Liz followed up.

Charmeleon emitted a burst of draconic energy, stricking Jolteon's Thundershock. A small explosion ensued, resulting in light smoke at the center of the field.

"Use the smoke as cover and use Fire Fang!" Liz commanded.

"Char!" Charmeleon charged.

"Jolteon, use Wild Charge!" Jason responded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon harnessed electricy, with currents rippling throughout his body. Then, he powered forward, charging towards Charmeleon.

Jolteon struck Charmeleon head on before Charmeleon could clamp down on his opponent. The impact sent Charmeleon tumbling over and over before stopping right before Liz.

"Charmeleon, you got this!" Liz encouraged. "Hit 'em back twice as hard!"

"Char!" Charmeleon was slow to get up, but he remained confident.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

"That's what I want to see!" Liz seemed impressed. "That's what I want to fight!"

"It won't be easy stopping us!" Jason replied.

"Yeah, well, same with us!" Liz then faced Charmeleon. "Smoke Screen!"

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon unleashed thick black smoke, covering himself.

"Flush him out with Pin Missile!" Jason responded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon unleashed a volley of pins aimed at the smoke.

"Dodge, and use Dragon Rage!" Liz called.

"Char!" Charmeleon jumped out towards Jolteon's left flank, and unleashed a red energy ball. The energy strike hit Jolteon's side.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon embraced the attack, and quickly faced Charmeleon.

"Nice recovery," Liz commended.

"Agility, go!" Jason ordered. "Don't let him hit you again!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon began running around the field, picking up speed by the second.

"Use Dragon Rage to knock him down!" Liz yelled.

"Char!" Charmeleon launched another energy ball at Jolteon.

The energy ball whizzed by Jolteon, with Jason making no effort to instruct Jolteon to dodge it. He was that confident Jolteon was too fast to be hit like that.

"Get ready!" Jason followed up. "Jolteon, Wild Charge!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon began to charge at Charmeleon head on.

"Use Brick Break and stop him!" Liz responded.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon primed his claws, ready to strike at Jolteon.

"Jolt!" Jolteon made a leap towards Charmeleon.

Jolteon struck Charmeleon with intense electric energy. Charmeleon managed to hold his ground through Brick Break, knocking Jolteon back effectively. But this was not without Jolteon transferring his energy, sending currents rippling throughout Charmeleon's body.

"Char!" Charmeleon fell on his knees.

"Jolt," Jolteon panted. It was clear he had taken considerable damage from Charmeleon's Dragon Rage and Brick Break, on top of self-inflicted damage from Wild Charge's reckless repurcussions.

"Char…" Charmeleon fell flat on his stomach.

"Charmeleon is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Jolteon wins!"

"Good job, Jolteon!" Jason cheered.

"Return, Charmeleon," Liz recalled her pokemon. She then faced Jason. "It's not everyday Charmeleon loses. Well done."

With a smirk on her face, she primed her next pokeball. "Liepard, you're up!"

"Liepard!" Liepard growled as soon as she was summoned.

"Congratulations on the evolution," Jason said. "Standby, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked in compliance.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rowlet watched the battle from a distance. She seemed intrigued by Jason and Jolteon, and their fierce determination to turn the tide and win this battle. Both Liz and Jason had three pokemon remaining, and for Jason to win this, he would have to overcome Haunter.

"Quite the intense battle, eh?" the trader oberseved, his arms crossed.

Rowlet lightly let out a hoot. She began to have desire in battling, or at the very least, showing support for Jason.

* * *

"Liepard, use Hone Claws!" Liz called.

"Lie!" Liepard's claws glowed white, increasing her attack and precision.

"Agility, let's go!" Jason responded.

"Jolt!" Jolteon sprinted around the field once more.

"Wait for it," Liz remained patient.

Liz was waiting for Jason to go in with an all out devastating attack. Even Kristine saw it coming.

"Hit her with everything you have! Wild Charge!" Jason fully committed to a risky attack. If he could knock out Liepard, he would have considered it a major victory, having taken out perhaps two of Liz's strongest pokemon with just Jolteon.

"Snarl! Now!" Liz countered.

"Lie!" Liepard emitted a dark purple sphere, quickly lunging it at Jolteon.

"Jolt!" Jolteon yelped, with Snarl tumbling him back.

"Go in and Fury Swipes!" Liz began her attack.

"Liepard!" Liepard pounced on Jolteon.

"Jolteon! Thunder Shock!" Jason yelled.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon unleashed electric energy aimed at Liepard.

"Snarl again!" Liz quickly reacted.

"Liepard!" Liepard countered Jolteon's Thunder Shock with Snarl. The two attacks collided, resulting in an explosion.

"Run through and continue with Fury Swipes!" Liz followed up.

Liepard pounced through the resulting smoke, and struck at Jolteon with her claws. She kept striking him with her front claws. After she was done, she jumped a few feet back. Jolteon fell on his side, unable to continue.

"Jolteon!" Jason began to recall Jolteon.

"Jolteon is unable to battle!" Kristine declared. "Liepard wins!"

"You did great, buddy," Jason commended after recalling his faithful companion.

"Your Jolteon is powerful," Liz complimented. "Any unsuspecting trainer can find themselves swept by just you and him in a three versus three."

"I have to say, you're not so bad yourself," Jason smirked. "I'm not done yet."

He primed his fourth pokeball. "Okay Growlithe, here's your first shot at battling. Let's go!"

He threw out his pokeball, bringing out Growlithe.

"Growl!" Growlithe barked. The distinct look from his black eye patch brought a lot of interest from the nearby crowd spectating the battle.

"A tough, rugged pokemon, eh?" Liz seemed intrigued. "Get ready, Liepard!"

"Lie!" Liepard held her ground.

"Growlithe, use –" Jason began to give a command.

"Growlithe!" Growlithe charged at Liepard head on, with no sign of using a move.

"Growlithe, wait for my command!" Jason yelled.

"Oh goody, a delinquient," Liz sighed, slightly disappointed. "And here I thought Jason stepped up his game." She faced Liepard. "Snarl!"

"Lie!" Liepard fired a dark purple sphere at Growlithe, striking him head on.

"Growlithe!" Growlithe was knocked to the ground, but quickly got back up.

"Growlithe, good job enduring that!" Jason said. "Now you need to listen to me! We need to work together in order to –"

"Growlithe!" Growlithe charged at Liepard again. This drew some light laughter from the small crowd.

Liz crossed her arms. "Thunder Wave."

"Liepard!" Liepard emitted a thunderous wave, stopping Growlithe in his tracks.

"Growl!" Growlithe barked, unable to move due to paralysis.

"Growlithe!" Jason yelled. "You have an attack you can fire from range! Use Flame Burst!"

"Growlithe!" Growlithe didn't listen to Jason. Instead, he attempted to approach Liepard, only to succumb to paralysis.

"Very well," Liz sighed again. "Liepard, Fury Swipes until he falls down and doesn't get back up."

"Liepard!" Liepard pounced on Growlithe, striking him relentlessly with her claws.

"Growlithe, no!" Jason yelled.

Liepard kept the attack until Growlithe fell down. It became clear Growlithe was unable to continue.

"Growlithe is unable to fight!" Kristine declared, before letting out a sigh. "Liepard wins!"

Jason recalled Growlithe. "Looks like we have a lot of work to do, bud."

He recalled Growlithe, and readied his last pokeball.

"Would be a heck of a feat if you can take out three powerful pokemon by yourself, huh?" he looked at Magikarp's pokeball. "Let's do our best!"

"Let's go, Magikarp!" he summoned Magikarp.

"Karp karp!" the determined Magikarp flopped on the ground.

The crowd began laughing. Even Liz chuckled.

"That's right, you have a magikarp," she said. "Well, a battle's a battle. Let's finish this, Liepard!"

"Lie!" Liepard stood ready to fight Magikarp.

* * *

Rowlet watched on, seeing Jolteon and Growlithe both going down to Liepard, and a seemingly helpless pokemon was all that stood between Jason and defeat. Seeing an opportunity, Rowlet acted on impulse, and began hopping towards the field.

"Rowlet, where are you going?" the trader asked, trying to get the pokemon's attention. "Hey! Rowlet!"

* * *

"Okay Magikarp, the only way we are going to win this is if we strike Liepard at close range!" Jason said. "Let's use Splash so we can get you moving around!"

"Karp karp!" Magikarp began flopping around at different spots. If anything, it enabled him to move around instead of just flopping in a fixed position.

"Get Magikarp to stop flopping around," Liz instructed to Liepard. "Use Thunder Wave!"

"Liepard!" Liepard unleashed a thunderous wave at Magikarp.

"Do everything you can to dodge that and use Bounce!" Jason called.

As Thunder Wave closed in on Magikarp, a volley of leaves came from nowhere, and neutralized the wave. This came as a shock to everyone.

"What in the world?" Liz looked around.

Just then, Magikarp saw the opportunity to bounce high into the air.

Liz glanced into the sky. "Watch out for him!"

Suddenly, what appeared to be a violet gust of wind struck Liepard. Though Ominous Wind was not very effective, the attack still startled Liepard.

"Rowlet!" Rowlet entered the field, quickly unleashing another Razor Leaf attack.

"Liepard!" Liepard embraced the more powerful attack, being struck by sharp leaf after sharp leaf.

"Jason, what on earth is going on?" Liz demanded answers.

"I don't know!" Jason defended.

Liz faced Kristine. "Call it! This is interference!"

"You're right," Kristine agreed. "Sorry Jason, but since we're trying to be official, I'm gonna have to call this a no contest."

"You mean he forfeits, right?" Liz crossed her arms. "Not like he was gonna win, anyways."

Kristine only sighed.

As the Razor Leaf barrage ended, Liepard hissed menacingly, aggravated by Rowlet's interference.

Then, just as everyone forgot, Magikarp aimed and timed his landing with absolute perfection, striking Liepard's side. The blindside attack was a critical hit, knocking Liepard over. She was unable to get up.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp cheered.

"Rowlet!" Rowlet did the same.

Kristine smirked. "Liepard is unable to battle."

The small crowd had a good laugh of the ordeal before dispersing.

Liz rolled her eyes, but even admitted to herself that was funny. "Return, Liepard. Good job out there."

She faced Jason. "Is Rowlet your pokemon now?"

"Well, only if Rowlet wants to be," Jason replied. "And even then…"

"Three thousand," the trader walked into the field, making a small compromise. He approached Rowlet, facing Jason. "Rowlet is yours for three thousand."

"Sir, you don't understand," Jason replied. "Even if I have that kind of –"

"Wait, why would you sell pokemon like that?" Liz asked.

"Just making a profit," the trader defended. "Do you see alolan pokemon here everyday?"

"Are alolans financial opportunists?" Kristine asked, approaching the trader. "I thought you all value tradition, bonds with pokemon, and above all, generousity. Look at my brother, and look at Rowlet."

"Rowlet!" Rowlet hopped over to Jason.

"Come back, Magikarp," Jason recalled Magikarp at that moment. "Great job out there."

"Hey there," Jason kneeled down to Rowlet. "My name's Jason. Inventum's a far place away from where you're from, and it's massive. I like the way you battled out there, and if you want to join us, I can help you get even better. We have a lot of ground to cover. I have three badges but I need twelve in order for us to compete in the Inventum Cup. We have a chance to be among the best in the world. No, we can be the best! What do you say? Would you like to join us?"

"Rowlet!" Rowlet jumped up and down.

"It's funny," Liz snickered. "They barely even know eachother and here they go, ready to go on an adventure together.

She approached Jason, bypassing Kristine and the trader. "I think Rowlet likes your personality and fighting spirit, and wants to help."

"Rowlet!" Rowlet agreed.

"Just look at them," Kristine pleaded to the trader. "They share an instant bond with one another, and if there's one thing I've learned so far, it's that bonds are priceless. Can you just cut your losses or something, and let Rowlet join Jason?"

The trader rubbed his chin, contemplating what to do. At that moment, Jason stood up to face him.

"Okay," the trader seemed to come to a compromise. "I will give you Rowlet, free of charge!"

Jason breathed a sigh of relief, as did Kristine.

"Thank you, sir," Kristine replied happily.

"On one condition," the trader continued.

"So, what's the catch?" Liz asked.

"Think of it as a cultural exchange," the trader said. "I'll give you Rowlet, a native of Alola, in exchange for something exclusive of Inventum. So when I return home, my people can learn the culture and customs of your people."

"Well," Jason seemed disappointed. "I don't know what we could possibly have that can be exclusive to Inventum. We have Inventum money, but that's about it."

"Wait," Kristine had a bright idea, but one that could be costly. She took her bag off her back and reached inside to grab the Inventum trainer's guide, presenting it to the trader. "It's been used. I've marked some key areas and whatnot. But it shows every city, every route, and every preserve, and has geographical and historical information. Better yet, this is the latest edition, and therefore not for sale at local bookstores. Have a look."

Kristine handed the trader the guide. He gazed through some of the pages, and moments later, he let out a grin. "Deal."

The trader placed the book in his bag, and approached Jason, pulling out Rowlet's pokeball. "Here's Rowlet's home, lad. All yours."

"Thanks!" Jason received the pokeball. Kristine made note as to where Jason was going to put it, and what he was going to do with Swellow's former pokeball.

Jason, having a clear conscience as to what he was doing, placed Rowlet's pokeball in between Riolu's and Swellow's on his belt. _Swellow will always be a part of the team,_ he thought.

"Well, I'd best get back to work," the trader gave a nod before heading off.

"Thanks again!" Kristine waved goodbye.

"Yeah, thanks!" Jason smiled.

"Well, Jason," Liz faced him. "Now that you have a full team, I'd like another match sometime, and please bring your A-game."

"I didn't bring my A-game?" Jason asked.

"You have a pokemon who is scared of ghosts, a pokemon who doesn't listen at all, and a magikarp."

"A magikarp that knocked out Liepard."

"Okay, I'll give you that one. Geez, what if that was a flying gyarados? I gotta get ready for that."

"I'll be ready," Jason assured her. "We'll be ready."

"Good," Liz smiled.

As Liz departed, Kristine caught up to her.

"Hey Liz?" she asked.

"What's up?" Liz turned around.

"Why did you wanna fight my brother so much and expect a serious battle?"

"Because I've been thinking, and for a while, I seriously thought he was the best one out of all of us. So to be the best, you need to beat the best."

"And you don't think he is anymore?"

"Not right now, at least. He needs a lot of work on his pokemon."

"True, but cut him some slack. He just let Swellow go, and it's been rough. Not to mention he has pokemon who aren't quite battle ready yet.

"Now that you put it that way, I really need to show empathy now and again, huh?" Liz felt guilty.

"Yeah, it's never a bad thing to express that," Kristine smiled. "Besides, give Jason a month or two. He'll give you a run for your money. Or snag all of it."

"Noted," Liz gave a nod. "I'm gonna go check out the rest of the festival."

"Have fun!" Kristine waved goodbye.

She walked back to Jason and Rowlet. "Shall we continue?"

"Kristine," Jason responded. "Thank you so much for helping me, but are you okay with handing off our most reliable source of information?"

"We'll make do, bro, just as you would say if you were in my shoes," Kristine put her hand on Jason's shoulder. "Besides, there's other ways to grab info we need. I just couldn't let you and Rowlet depart from each other like that. Neither of you deserve that."

"Appreciate it," Jason smiled. "Let's move on. Might as well continue enjoying our last day here."

The twins continued to enjoy the international festival at Richland Port, preparing to leave Inventum's capital the next day. The next location: Raley City, just less than two weeks away by foot.

* * *

 **Liz's Team:**

 **Charmeleon (Blaze): Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Smokescreen, Brick Break**

 **Liepard (Limber): Hone Claws, Fury Swipes, Thunder Wave, Snarl**

 **Mankey (Anger Point): Cross Chop, Thunder Punch, Karate Chop, Focus Energy**

 **Phanpy (Sand Veil): Sandstorm, Rollout, Slam, Endure**

 **Haunter (Levitate): Confuse Ray, Shadow Ball, Shadow Punch, Toxic**

 **Sixth Pokemon Unknown**


	34. Onward to Raley City!

**Here's another chapter, finally.**

 **It's been pretty hectic for me in the past few months. But I managed to get down and write again. It'll be at a slow and steady pace, but I still envision myself finishing this fanfic. I've begun groundwork on the next five chapters more or less so I'll just need to flesh them out.**

 **Heads up, this is kind of an emotional chapter because it deals with coping with loss (not of a current character). Anyways, here's to hoping I'm able to release chapters more frequently from here on. Enjoy!**

* * *

Dawn rose over Richland Port. Jason and Kristine put on their trainer's gear and gathered all of their belongings.

"Well, goodbye, room," Kristine waved. "Nice knowing you."

"Seems like we stayed here forever, huh?" Jason mentioned.

"Yeah," Kristine agreed. "I'm gonna miss this city, you know."

The two left their room and shut the door for one last time.

"You really like it here, huh?" Jason asked.

"I do," Kristine let out a light sigh. "When we grow up and settle down, I imagine myself living in a city like this."

"Don't get me wrong, I love Richland Port," Jason added. "But living here is another thing."

"To each their own," Kristine smiled.

They proceeded down the stairs and into the lobby.

"Have you looked up what's between here and Raley City?" Jason asked.

"It's practically a straight shot," Kristine replied. "We'll be traveling alongside the coast and curve a little bit inland."

"Good. Before we know it, we'll be battling the Valor Gym Leader."

"Ah, yes. I know Scarlet quite well," the twins heard a voice nearby.

Aria got up from a chair, leaving her coffee behind on the table as she approached Jason and Kristine.

"Aria!" Kristine greeted. She ran over to give her a hug.

"Well well, my favorite pair of twins," Aria smiled. "Congratulations on winning the Power Duo!"

"Thanks!" the twins replied at the same time.

"And thank you for saving Cheron Forest," Jason replied.

"It's my duty," Aria simply responded. "I see you're both heading out today?"

"Yep!" Kristine nodded. "On our way to Raley City."

"You'll be traveling through Pattersbaugh Falls on the way," Aria mentioned. "It's pretty, but watch your step. It's a very easy route otherwise. I'm happy to catch you before you skipped town. I'll be back in Fort Lexing by the evening."

"Well, we're happy you came here to see us," Kristine smiled.

"Absolutely. Any other questions you have for me? I'd be happy to answer them."

"So, about the Gym Leader," Jason was curious.

"Scarlet represents Team Valor through and through, being my counterpart of the Valor regional HQ in Raley City," Aria explained. "She and I don't get along very well."

"How come?" Kristine asked.

"It all comes down to conflicting views," Aria lightly shrugged. "Mystic seeks to draw power from the mysteries that surround us, and learn why pokemon evolve and are the way they are. Valor values individual, internal strength. Scarlet will find out you two evolved your eevee within weeks of obtaining them and she will blame me for it. It's just how she views things."

"She doesn't seem very nice," Jason added.

"No, she actually is," Aria clarified. "She's just very firm and passionate in her views. She's not quite open to other views, but she will give you one heck of a challenge. She will test your passion and your individual strength. It didn't come from me, but don't be surprised if she tried separating you so you wouldn't be there as moral support for one another."

"Thanks for the heads up," Kristine noted.

"No problem," Aria smiled. "Care to grab breakfast with me in a café nearby? My treat."

"Sure!" Jason happily accepted.

"Let's step outside," Aria suggested.

The twins followed her outside, leaving the pokemon center one last time. Aria led them across a pedestrian crosswalk to a nearby outdoor café.

"This is a popular one inspired by the cafes you see everywhere in Lumiose City," Aria mentioned.

"We usually just eat at the pokemon center, mostly because it's free to trainers," Kristine said.

"Ah, it's gonna be a real treat then," Aria smiled. "Have you ever had berry crepes before with chocolate syrup on top?"

Both Jason and Kristine shook their heads.

"Oh, you're gonna be in for a treat, indeed."

The three grabbed a seat as a female server presented them with a pitcher of hot coffee.

"You ever had coffee before?" Aria asked. "Wait, you're preteens. Probably not, right?"

"Not really," Kristine replied.

"Yeah, you will probably want it doused with sugar. Your taste buds will change over time, you can take it from me."

Aria looked around for a moment. "I do miss it here."

"Did you grow up here?" Jason asked.

"I grew up in a small town down the coast," Aria replied. "It's not too far from Raley City. I did spend a lot of time here in Richland Port, winning local and regional tournaments here. I'm a coastal girl through and through. I wanted to be Blanche's assistant in Kalos but when she asked me to run the Team Mystic branch in Fort Lexing, I couldn't refuse."

Aria leaned back. "Maybe one day, I'll settle down here. Get married, start a family," she caught herself, blushing at the fact she was talking to a pair of twelve year olds. "Got a little carried away there."

"Speaking of," Kristine leaned forward. "Have you found that special someone in Fort Lexing yet?"

Aria kept blushing. "Well, I can't confirm or deny that."

"You're dating someone!" Kristine gasped.

"Well, that would be –" Aria was looking for ways to change the subject. Just then, the server came back to deliver their entrees. "Talk about perfect timing."

"Behold, something you're going to go crazy over!" Aria began to promote the crepes. "Not to mention, you're having chocolate for breakfast. What's not to love?"

Jason and Kristine each grabbed a fork and knife and dug in.

"Oh wow," Jason seemed amazed. "We've been used to confidential breakfasts at the pokemon center lately, but this is great!"

"I wonder if they have a recipe book," Kristine added. "Maybe I can cook this on our travels."

"Well, I'm glad I took you kids here," Aria leaned back once more. "Mission accomplished."

"Your mission is accomplished if this café is exactly like the ones in Kalos," a woman behind Aria spoke.

Jason and Kristine were shocked to see who it was. Aria recognized the voice with a kalosian accent. A woman, presumably just a few years older than Aria with white blonde hair wrapped in a long ponytail, tan skin, crisp blue eyes, and wearing a light blue tank top to go with dark blue long pants, approached the table. She had her trainer's belt, complete with six pokeballs.

Aria immediately shot up, and faced Blanche.

"Easy there, Aria. We're both off duty," Blanche chuckled. "I don't have my coat on."

"I just wouldn't expect you here!" Aria replied. "But it's good to see you, Blanche."

"Jason, Kristine," Aria faced the twins. "I'd like to introduce you to my boss, Blanche."

"Bonjour," Blanche smiled.

"These kids are trainers," Aria continued. "They started not too far from Fort Lexing. They each defeated me. They were about to leave town and head towards Raley City."

"Well, congratulations!" Blanche commended.

"Thanks!" Jason and Kristine replied at the same time.

"You two must've been tough for defeating my colleague here and traveling all the way here. Well done."

"Kristine's full of wit," Aria added. "And Jason, let me tell you, never back him to a corner."

"Noted," Blanche snickered.

"Hey, maybe one day, we can have a battle," Jason playfully challenged.

"Against a former Kalos League champ? Of course you'd make a challenge!" Aria laughed.

"Maybe someday, when you bring out your team's full potential," Blanche smiled. "I can challenge you both individually."

"Then I look forward to it," Kristine smiled back.

Blanche pulled up a chair to sit with the twins and Aria. "Let's see how this stands up to Kalos," she browsed a menu that was on the table.

Moments later, the twins and Aria were done eating.

"That was delicious!" Kristine raved.

"Tell me about it," Jason agreed.

Blanche snickered. "Hmm, now I have high expectations."

Aria faced the twins. "I suppose it's time for you to head out, huh?"

"I guess we should," Kristine replied as she got up. Jason did the same.

"Glad I caught you," Aria smiled. "You kids be safe out there."

"Yeah, thanks for visiting us!" Jason replied.

"Nice to meet you both," Blanche gave a nod.

"Absolutely, it was an honor!" Kristine walked over to shake Blanche's hand.

"Great to meet you!" Jason added. "And thanks for the food, Aria!"

"Yep," Aria replied. "See you around, kids. You're more than welcome to stop by next time you're in Fort Lexing."

"We have to stop by the conservation center and pick up Dratini," Kristine mentioned to Jason.

"Right," Jason replied. "Let's go."

The twins departed the café a moment later.

"They seem bright and determined," Blanche observed.

"I've battled many trainers," Aria mentioned. "Those two gave me some of the most memorable battles I've ever had."

"Maybe I should watch out for them if they ever decide to compete in the Kalos League, huh?" Blanche chuckled.

"Speaking of, are you going to compete in the Kalos League again?" Aria asked.

Blanche simply shrugged. "Maybe in the near future."

"Well, we're down to the final eight. Ash is looking as strong as ever."

"I think he will win it all. He's shown the world he means business."

"And the Inventum Cup is about four months out."

"Any native favorites?"

"Well, there's a veteran trainer named Ken who has a shot, but it's all international trainers that make the list, to be honest."

"Maybe someday, a golden generation of sorts will rise up. Every region gets a turn."

"Well," Aria leaned back with a confident smile. "Based on what I've been seeing lately, I think the golden generation is already here."

"Hmm," Blanche contemplated.

"Anyways," Aria continued. "Are you tagging along with us to Fort Lexing?"

"Yes," Blanche nodded. "I need a debriefing and a personal assessment. Not that I don't doubt your work at all, you've been phenomenal, but you know, regulations and assessments come with my rank, seeing that we led the effort to quell such a disaster."

"Right," Aria understood.

"You can give me the basic run down later on," Blanche continued. "We're off the clock, so don't worry about it now."

"Until then," Aria gazed at the server delivering coffee to Blanche. "I don't think you'll be disappointed with this café."

* * *

"And here you go!" Brie handed the pokeball holding Dratini to Kristine. "Dratini has fully recovered, and is battle ready. I'd start off with training him first, but you're the expert!"

"Thanks!" Kristine happily took the pokeball.

A moment later, Jason and Kristine left he facility.

"Now how do we get out of this city?" Jason asked. "Since we don't have the guide anymore."

"Well," Kristine looked around. We follow signs."

The twins headed out of the medical district, heading to the southern outskirts of Richland Port by following signs posted next to walkways. The urban environment gave way to fields and light forests nearby.

Kristine turned around to take one last look at Richland Port's skyline.

"I'll see you soon, you beautiful city," Kristine softly spoke.

"Well, there's always that apprenticeship with the conservationists when we're 16," Jason mentioned.

"True."

Jason also turned his head towards the skyline. "You know what sis? I'm gonna miss the city too."

"Yeah? Miss the city, huh country boy?"

"Well, we've had more than our fair share of memories here. Winning the Power Duo, obtaining the Power Badge, not to mention new additions to our teams."

"I'll hold onto those memories as long as I'm alive," Kristine smiled before facing away from the city. "But it's time to move on. Onward to Raley City!"

The twins headed down the dirt path that took them straight to Route 110.

"Route 110," Kristine said. "And I have no other information."

"Only that it's a straight shot to Raley City," Jason added.

"We can assume it ends at Pattersbaugh falls, and that Route 111 takes us in."

"See? We don't need some guidebook."

The twins continued down Route 110 throughout the morning, taking a lunch break off the road around noontime. The twins brought out all of their pokemon, allowing all pokemon to interact as full teams for the first time. Jason released Magikarp at a nearby pond, as Kristine did the same for Dratini.

"Jolt," Jolteon greeted Espeon, approaching her.

"Espeon," Espeon greeted back, sitting still.

Jolteon sat right next to Espeon. Together, they observed their teammates from a short distance away. Espeon noticed Snorunt introducing herself to Dratini, with Riolu and Machop training together by throwing fists and dodging each other's attacks. Jolteon observed Kirlia practicing her dancing routines, with Rowlet nearby attempting to mimic her. Pikachu ran around with Growlithe, as Fletchinder circled around the camp overhead.

It all seemed everything was going fine, at first. That was when Growlithe decided that running with Pikachu was a competition, and picked up speed.

"Pika!" Pikachu tried to warn him of Rowlet and Kirlia straight ahead. Growlithe paid no mind, looking back at Pikachu while knowing he was pulling away. When he looked straight ahead, it was too late for him to slow down. He ran into Rowlet, who tumbled into Kirlia, who fell down.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia whimpered.

"Rowlet!" Rowlet confronted Growlithe as soon as she got up.

"Growlithe!" Growlithe barked.

The two exchanged a heated argument, from the perspective of Jolteon and Espeon, about the incident. Rowlet questioned Growlithe's competency to do anything right, which Growlithe took offense. Somewhere in the argument, Magikarp's name was brought up.

"Karp karp karp!" Magikarp yelled, obviously angry.

"Growlithe!" Growlithe barked back.

"Karp karp karp karp karp!" Magikarp splashed around, as if he was taunting Growlithe.

"Rio!" Riolu stopped to see what was going on. Machop, paying no attention, landed a blow on Riolu's chest, sending him stumbling upon Snorunt. Riolu accidentally knocked Snorunt into the water.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt was startled and clearly not happy.

Dratini used his nose to nudge her off the water seconds later. Snorunt then confronted Riolu. As Riolu pleaded his case, Snorunt then shifted her frustration towards Machop.

"Machop!" Machop tried to apologize.

Pikachu ran in to try to quell the argument, but for whatever reason, got caught up in it instead.

Fletchinder landed next to Espeon. They, along with Jolteon, all sighed as they witnessed the complete breakdown of team morale.

"Jolt…" Jolteon walked over towards Growlithe, Kirlia, and Rowlet.

"Esp…" Espeon walked over towards Machop, Snorunt, Riolu, and Pikachu. Riolu managed to sneak out of that argument, bringing Magikarp with him to the rest of their team.

The twins took notice and walked over to supervise the arguments. Espeon was able to calm her team down rather quickly. Jolteon, however, had difficulty getting Growlithe and Rowlet to settle down.

"Everyone, just chill for a second!" Jason demanded. "We're on the same team here!"

Growlithe growled for a moment before backing off.

"Everyone seemed eager to fight each other for a minute," Kristine said.

"Yeah, no kidding," Jason replied.

"Well, my team hasn't really fought in a while," Kristine mentioned.

"Yeah," Jason sighed. "And I have two new additions and I think it's gonna take some time for my team to really get along."

"It'll take time," Kristine agreed. "You'll just need to be patient more than anything."

"Yep," Jason nodded.

A short while later, the twins recalled their pokemon, packed their belongings, and continued on. The sunny weather and ocean breeze complimented a scenic view of flowery fields and sporadic trees. Jason and Kristine greeted the occasional trainer as they ventured by.

"You know who we haven't seen in weeks?" Jason recollected. "Actually, I think it's been more than a month."

"Alex?" Kristine assumed. "It's been over two months, actually, for me. Three for you, I think?"

"Shoot, the last time I've seen him was that battle at the foothills of the Mountains," Jason chuckled. "I wonder what he's up to."

"Would you be better off not crossing paths with him?" Kristine asked.

"I want to beat him the next time we battle," Jason explained. "I'm much better now."

"I bet you he got much better too," Kristine remained realistic. "Not saying you don't have a chance. I really hope you'd beat him next time around."

"When I'm ready, I will."

* * *

The twins made camp at a field near the road by nightfall. Cool, breezy air kicked in, cold enough for Kristine to put on a sweater before she went to bed. The twins slept soundly in their own sleeping bags within their tent. The next morning, they got ready, packing up before venturing onward once more.

They continued along Route 110, passing through vast fields. In what seemed to be the first time in weeks, the sky was gray. It seemed to be nothing more than an ugly overcast, but the colder, breezy weather was somewhat reminiscent of the Nappalchan Mountains.

"Well, we expended our luck with the weather, I suppose," Kristine glanced upwards.

"Yeah," Jason did the same. "Hopefully we don't get rained on."

"It's one of those weird days where the weather can't make its mind up, I think."

The twins continued down the road, which was largely scarce. Perhaps the weather encouraged other trainers to take the day off, along with causing wild pokemon to seek shelter.

"To come to think of it, we've just sat back and relaxed a few times when the weather was like this in the Mountains," Kristine brought up.

"Would I be pushing too far if I wanted to keep going?" Jason asked.

Kristine shook her head. "We've had our vacation in Richland Port. Gloomy weather won't stop us."

By mid afternoon, the twins came across farms filled with tauros and miltank, along with several houses.

"Look at all these pokemon," Kristine observed.

"So many of them," Jason added. "They probably provide milk for the entire coast."

Kristine sighed. "Only if I had my guide with me."

"Yeah," Jason chuckled. "Sorry, sis."

"No, no, it's not your fault," Kristine smiled. "I'd trade it away every single time in a situation like that."

"What would I do without you?" Jason laughed.

"Yeah, what would you do?" Kristine playfully laughed back.

Just ahead, they saw a figure traversing on a dirt path from one of the homes, wearing a black jacket and pants. Jason was quick to identify the person.

"Hey, that's Alex," he pointed out.

"Alex?" Kristine seemed curious. "I assumed he'd be in Raley City by now or even further."

Alex seemed to mind his business as the path he walked on conjoined the main road. He glanced the twins' way, noticing them before taking a sigh.

"Can't shake you guys off, huh?" he rolled his eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Alex," Jason sarcastically replied, as he and Kristine approached him.

"Jason," Alex gave a quick nod of acknowledgement. "I see you're on your feet. Still being a trainer, huh?"

"As if I was ever going to quit," Jason spoke with confidence.

"Let me guess, this is the part where you challenge me, right?" Alex continued. "Like you haven't learned a-"

"Actually, no," Jason interrupted. "I won't challenge you."

"Hmm," Alex seemed intrigued. "Maybe you have learned a thing or two after all."

"Insult me all you want, Alex," Jason spoke with pride and confidence. "We'll battle again when we're ready."

"Hmmph," Alex simply began to head on his way.

"Hey Alex," Kristine added. "What were you doing here, if I may ask?"

Alex scoffed. "Read the guide. Aren't you supposed to be the smart one?"

"Yeah, about the guide."

Alex turned around. "How on – you know, nothing from you two should surprise me anymore. See that house over there?" he pointed at a two story wooden home from a distance. "And the nearby farm? The guide would have told you that's Secra Farmstead. Hence my last name. My sister inherited it a few years back."

"You have a sister?" Jason asked.

"I should get going before you bombard me with more useless questions," Alex wasted no more time, and proceeded down the route.

"What the heck is his problem?" Jason crossed his arms. "Like he can't be nice even if his life depended on it!"

"There's a lot going on," Kristine answered. "I never bothered telling you. Well, there's no excuse for his attitude but it kinda makes sense."

Jason turned to Kristine. "Go on."

"I honestly don't know if it's my place to tell you," Kristine continued before lightly sighing. "Alex had a brother. His name was Tyler. He –"

"He was everything to Alex," a woman's voice was heard behind the twins.

The twins turned around to see a woman with brown wavy hair, wearing a red buttoned shirt and blue jeans. She appeared to be in her late teens. "Name's Dani. I'm Alex's sister. I take it you all know each other?"

"We've had a few bump ins," Jason mentioned.

"Hi, I'm Kristine," Kristine greeted. "And this is my twin brother, Jason."

"Ah, I've seen you two on television," Dani recalled. "I mentioned you to Alex, and he has talked about you two before."

"Well, could you please convince him to stop being a jerk towards me? Because it's starting to get real old," Jason promptly requested.

Naturally, Dani wanted to be on the defensive for her little brother. But she bit her tongue, and knew where Jason was coming from. "Alex has a lot to deal with. Our whole family does, as divided as we are now."

"What do you mean?" Kristine asked.

"Well, he ain't gonna like this," Dani chuckled. "Why don't you two come in and sit with me for a bit? And maybe we can help Alex."

"Sounds good to me," Kristine accepted.

Jason crossed his arms in silent disapproval.

"Jason," Kristine gently nudged him.

"All right," Jason complied.

Jason and Kristine followed Dani down a dirt trail that led to her home. It was painted white, outlined by dark red to compliment the appearance. Dani opened the door for the twins to step inside to a welcome interior of wooden flooring, white walls, and a massive collection of family portraits across almost every wall.

"Look at these pictures," Kristine seemed amazed. "Some of these go way back."

"Like two centuries back," Dani added. She closed the door and walked in front of the twins. "The Secra family owned this farm since Edward Secra himself came from the Galar region."

She pointed at a old still portrait of a man with a handlebar mustache and a nearly bald head. The portrait was obviously black and white, and appeared to be very worn, barely holding together after two centuries.

"One of the early settlers of Inventum," Kristine seemed very interested in the topic as Jason gazed at other portraits.

Dani chuckled. "Kind of, considering the earliest settlers came here five hundred years ago."

"Our family came from a region near the North Pole, not too far from Galar," Kristine mentioned.

"Which one?" an older gentleman approached Dani, Kristine, and Jason. He was old enough to possess gray hair, but the cane he held with both hands spoke to his declining health and not advancing age.

"Skydgar," Krstine answered. "Hi, I'm Kristine."

Jason turned to face the man. "I'm Jason."

"Ah, the Kyar twins," the man smiled. He faced Dani. "Curious as to who you let in."

"Apologies for the lack of heads up, Dad," Dani slightly blushed.

"No worries," the man was quick to forgive. He faced Kristine once more. "Skydgar once held the world's best trainers specializing in water, ice, and steel type pokemon."

"You know about old world regions?" Kristine was intrigued.

"Of course," the man nodded. "I'm William Secra, mainly just Will to everyone who knows me. I'm Dani's dad, and Alex's, which I've heard you know him?"

"Alex? Yeah," Jason answered.

"Ah, Jason Kyar," Will approached Jason. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Probably not very good things," Jason took a step back.

"Jason," Kristine stepped towards Jason's direction, attempting to get him to stay polite.

"It's fine," Will smiled. "You two don't get along, and I can only blame myself for it."

"Don't say that, Dad," Dani abruptly spoke.

"Right, right," Will sighed. "Well, let's not stand around. We have guests! Let's act like proper hosts!"

Will led the twins into the nearby kitchen, with Dani right behind them. It was cozy and compact, exactly what the twins pictured in their minds of what a farmstead kitchen would look like. The oven and stove top were almost within arm's reach of the white wooden table itself. More portraits decorated the walls, as stainless-steel pans and other cookware hung from the ceiling.

Will chuckled. "Might not be what you two are used to growing up with, but it's what we have."

"It's actually cute," Kristine looked around.

Jason, on the other hand, felt slightly tense. Too much decoration with such little space left him anxious. Still, he sucked it up and took a seat adjacent to his sister on his left and to Dani on his right, with Will slowly taking a seat across from him.

"And to think," Will contemplated. "We've had to make room for five once upon a time. When we were all together."

"Yeah," Dani sighed. She looked at a picture on the wall to her right, directly across from Kristine. It was that of a boy with spiky blond hair and brown eyes. He appeared to be slightly older than the twins.

"That right there is my other son," Will explained. "Tyler was an ambitious kid. Had dreams of becoming Inventum's champion, leading us into the global stage of renowned pokemon trainers for the first time in decades."

"He was good, really good," Dani recalled. "I remember seeing him against Meeks in the city. Just cheering on for my little bro, you know. And Alex was there too. The way he used Quilava against Raichu, it was amazing. He made it down to Kenalta for the Life Badge, Viceport for the Instinct Badge, and the Sol Islands for the Rapid Badge. Doubled back to the farm to take a couple months off before heading to the Mountains to get the other eight badges."

"My wife was against the idea," Will added, giving a nod to the portrait next to Tyler. It was that of a woman with strawberry blond hair in curls. "Beth told Tyler to go back south and head to Stellarport first instead of circumnavigating Inventum through the Mountains. 'Trainers are forged in the Mountains', he said. 'We've gone soft and it's up to me to rise to the challenge,' he said."

Will cleared his throat. "And I agreed with him. It was something I wanted him to do, simply because he wanted to do it. I've never seen him happier. Beth told me she had a horrible feeling about it. I never really paid attention to her concerns."

"And I wanted Tyler to take on the challenge," Dani stated. "I believed he could do it then. I never thought about the dangers, the real dangers."

"The Mountains have a lot of hazards," Jason added.

"That they do," Will folded his hands. "There were icy conditions one morning. The rangers said he slipped, tumbling through the wooden barrier between him and the edge of the cliff. He fell a long way, and his entire team dispersed to seek help. And despite their efforts…"

Dani took Will's left hand and squeezed it gently.

"He passed away in the emergency room," Will finished his sentence, his eyes watery. "His injuries were too severe."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Kristine expressed sympathy. "We've lost our father. I understand how hard it can be."

"A father losing his son is painful beyond understanding," Will responded. "But all losses are painful in ways beyond anyone's understanding. Your father still had gas in the tank, I'd imagine. As did Tyler, who had his whole life ahead of him."

"That's why we have each other," Jason added, glancing at Kristine. "To get us through these struggles."

Will scoffed at the comment.

"What's so –" Jason wanted to speak back, but Kristine grabbed his hand as tightly as she could.

"Tyler's death split our family right down the middle," Will continued, speaking firmly. "Beth divorced me and moved near Fort Lexing with her folks. Alex had a choice. 'I want nothing to do with you anymore' were his last words, up until a couple weeks ago. They both blamed Tyler's death on me."

"And me," Dani lifted her hand in accountability.

"Divorce?" Jason stood up.

"Jason," Kristine chuckled nervously. "Let's sit back down and –"

"In the hour of need, you all split apart? I'm not a dad. But I'm a son, and I lost my dad. I don't understand your loss, but I understand the hour of need. The moment where despite losing your mind, there's someone there reminding you that no matter what, you're not alone. No wonder why Alex is all sorts of heartless."

"Now wait a second!" Dani shot up. "I've dealt with your subtle comments and body language, but that's right through the line faster than a dodrio in a straight track! I'll show you out the door."

"I'm so sorry," Kristine got up. "He didn't mean to –"

"Please," Will briefly closed his eyes, and held his right hand up to halt the argument. He opened his eyes. "Everyone, why don't you sit back down?"

"But he insulted –" Dani defended.

"And throwing him out would only prove his point," Will explained.

"Fine," Dani huffed, and sat down. The twins did the same, Kristine giving a quick glare at Jason before doing so.

"Perhaps you're right," Will continued, facing Jason. "Perhaps we've all blamed each other senselessly and let that tear us apart. If only we could work together and get through it. Life isn't that simple, Jason. Keep in mind of the things you are largely unaware of that affects these decisions, even ones Dani and Alex are unaware of. You'll get an idea if you are ever married with kids."

"Look," Jason spoke, to the silent disapproval of both Dani and Kristine, as they wanted him to just shut up. "I've almost lost my life in the Mountains."

"Alex never mentioned that," Dani added.

"He did almost die," Kristine verified. "That was terrifying."

"We were warned of the risks," Jason continued. "We knew what we were signing up for."

"Sending kids through the Mountains is dangerous, we see it now," Dani said.

"The whole idea of sending twelve year olds on their own is dangerous!" Jason said. "As is sending any fully grown adult on any adventure," He faced Will. "I don't know Tyler. I have no right to assume what he wanted or didn't want, but anyone wouldn't want this. If he truly loved, loved being a trainer, then he had died doing what he loved."

Dani snickered, recalling a memory. "He was obsessed with it. His smile was bright enough to light up a room."

"I don't know if I can ever bring our family back together," Will said. "But we can bring Alex back to the caring young man he once was. I disagree with that he's heartless, but he's lost."

Dani nodded at that statement.

"Surely he's patching things up with you if he stayed here for a while," Kristine mentioned.

"Eh," Will shook his head. "He still blames me for everything."

"He's eased up on me," Dani added.

"He's put the blame on his mother lately," Will said. "He's conflicted. And to let him venture off like that doesn't bode well for me as a father."

"If he endured the Mountains, he can do anything," Kristine tried to remain positive.

"Must've been a pretty heated argument with Mom for him to go there," Dani mentioned to her father.

"And that's the problem," Will contemplated. "He achieved three badges quicker than almost any other trainer could. He had caught close to three dozen pokemon, so he's likely doing the dirty catch-and-release trick to scout the strongest, healthiest pokemon."

"He said he would slow down on that," Dani stated.

"Because he thinks he found his core team. My point is nothing has stopped him. Beth and I could not stop him. If this continues, he is truly lost, buried underneath his accomplishments. Nothing will ever make him happy. He'll just keep catching pokemon, keep winning gym badges, trying but failing to fulfill that empty void."

"You mean someone will need to stop him," Dani said.

"Precisely," Will nodded. "And I see no other trainer than the young man who called your brother heartless, sitting right beside you."

Dani faced Jason. "I agree that we need to help him. That's what I invited you here in the first place. Can you defeat my brother in a pokemon battle?"

"I've had no luck so far," Jason said. "My team isn't ready now, but they will be."

"My brother is not heartless," Dani reiterated. "Train your team, beat my brother as much as I would love to see him beat you, and maybe you can help him come to his senses. Just don't wait too long to do it."

Jason remained silent.

"Now then," Will slowly got up. "Can't keep you both in here much longer, now can we? Raley City isn't far in the grand picture."

"I have a question, if I may ask," Kristine spoke up. "What happened to Tyler's team?"

"They're out back," Dani answered. "His team pretty much evolved on their own in the past few years. At least the ones who could. Typhlosion, Swellow, Electrode, Politoed, Hitmontop, and Tauros."

"They help with the farm in whatever ways they could," Will added.

Dani faced Kristine. "Would you like to see them? They like company."

"Sure," Kristine smiled.

"Let me show you out back," Will proceeded to the back door within the kitchen. Dani and Kristine got up to follow him, as did Jason.

Kristine briefly looked over to Jason before facing Dani and Will. "Excuse me one second."

"We will be outside," Will acknowledged. "Come on, Dani."

Kristine waited for her moment to strike until she heard the door close.

"You were incredibly rude! Incredibly! Rude!" she scolded, jabbing Jason's chest with her finger.

"But I thought I made a good point," Jason defended.

"Sometimes, it's not about the message, but the delivery," Kristine explained. "That could've been handled a lot better. What you said was hurtful to them, no matter how true you think it is."

"I never meant to be hurtful," Jason softened up.

"But you were. What if someone told you I was stupid?"

"You're not."

"And Alex isn't heartless."

"You're taking their side on it?"

"I'm not taking their side. I'm taking their word."

"We've known Alex –"

"They know him far longer than we do. Take their word. Now, you need to apologize to Will and Dani."

"Fine," Jason sucked it up. "I'll do it."

"And remember," Kristine reminded him. "Beat Alex. Or I will."

Kristine and Jason opened the door. They both saw Will and Dani a fair distance away, wrapping up a conversation. Dani then approached Jason. Kristine nudged him to move forward.

"Hey Jason," Dani spoke first. "I'm sorry for trying to kick you out earlier."

"No, you shouldn't be," Jason replied. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I had no business speaking out in something personal, let alone call someone heartless."

Dani smiled, and extended her hand. "We forgive you."

Jason shook her hand. That was when she extended her other hand, using both to firmly grasp his, preventing him from letting go.

"Don't ever call my brother heartless in front of me again," she warned.

"Noted," Jason said.

Dani smiled, and let go. "I'll go call out Tyler's team. Wait here a sec!"

"Well, Jason," Kristine approached Jason, putting her arm around her shoulder. "Wasn't so bad now, was it?"

"I don't think she likes me," Jason observed.

"Eh, I'm pretty sure she'll come around, eventually."

"Just beat Alex and make him human again, huh?"

"Something like that. No pressure, right?"

Jason laughed. "No pressure."

The twins got to greet Tyler's formidable team that meant an untimely retirement following their trainer's fatal tragedy. A team of six powerful pokemon was something the twins could aspire to work towards. They both knew that despite their successes, they still had a long way to go.

After visiting the farm, Jason and Kristine continued south. The next stop: Pattersbaugh Falls, a scenic reserve connecting Richland Port and Raley City.


	35. Pattersbaugh Falls

**Woot! Able to get a chapter out not too long after the previous one! Enjoy!**

* * *

It was a moonless night in Richland Port. Only streetlights could give clear sight to anyone out and about. The sheer darkness encouraged many to stay indoors, but for Joe, it was the perfect opportunity to conduct his own investigation into the recent incident involving Dratini. Wearing a black diving suit, radar equipment, a waterproof digital camera dangling around his neck, and a belt carrying six pokeballs, pokemon conservationist Joe takes to the docks. The docks themselves are somewhat illuminated only by the neon lights glimmering from the city behind.

Since no one was going to investigate in a timely manner of what could be going on in the ocean, Joe decided to take matters into his own hands. His pokemon agreed to go with him, but he wanted Brie to stay out of this. In fact, she didn't even know he was going on a covert mission in a vast area. He knew that perhaps he was crazy for even going on an adventure he was most likely going to return empty from. Nevertheless, he was ready to go as he hopped into one of the conservationists' speedboats.

"All right," Joe took to the wheel and noticed the safety checklist right next to it. He instinctively began to run down the list, but quickly decided against going any further. It wasn't a routine mission after all; he could lose his job if he was caught stealing private property for a potentially dangerous rogue operation.

He started up the speedboat, turning on the headlights for clear vision before safely clearing the docks and the other boats. He headed off into the calm, black ocean ahead.

Joe took the boat to full speed, bouncing against the gentle waves. Moments later, he turned slight left, intending to cover a massive radius to spot any vessel or object involved in poisoning pokemon.

"What am I chasing after anyways?" Joe spoke to himself, his voice muffled by the motor of the speedboat.

A moment later, the radar device on his wrist made a pinging noise.

"That's a large ping," he glanced at the radar. He continued on course towards the source of the ping.

As he got closer, he slowed down and turned off his headlights. He knew whatever this big object could be was doing the same, operating silently and in the darkness. He took the boat slow and steady towards the object itself. The massive floating structure soon became visible, but no more than a vague, dark object to the naked eye.

Keeping a fair distance, Joe circumnavigated the object while attempting to avoid detection.

"It looks like a cargo ship," he determined. "There's no ships out of route like this. I'll have to see if Richland or Viceport had any ships matching the description go out lately."

Joe began to take pictures with the digital camera, which had night vision capabilities. The ship was painted dark red, and whatever name it was given was painted over. Seeing movement on the upper deck, he did not hesitate to take picture after picture of three individuals in dark clothing. All they seemed to be doing was walking from one place to the next, but having their faces means authorities can determine an ID, Joe thought.

"Quit while we're ahead," Joe muttered. He figured that proof of an unidentified cargo ship and individuals aboard would be enough to prompt an investigation into the matter. He picked up speed, bolting away from the cargo ship.

* * *

"He's turning away now," one man wearing a red long-sleeve shirt and pants announced, eyeing the radar detector very closely within the ship's bridge.

"Who is he even with?" a woman standing next to him asked. She was wearing the same style attire as the man.

A second male, sitting across, pulled up advanced images of the speedboat. He pulled up a clear vision of the text on the left side of the speedboat.

"Inventum Conservation Initiative of Richland Port?" the woman seemed confused. "What tipped him off to come out here at night?"

"Probably the dratini that landed in the hands of that kid," the first male responded. "Talk about your loose ends."

"Speaking of loose ends," a fourth individual spoke in a rugged, deep and firm tone, standing before a glass overlook of the ship and the vast ocean. He was an older man with buzzed gray hair, wearing white but with red outlining. He turned around to face his subordinates. "You have one getting away from you at this very second. See to it that this loose end is taken care of."

"Sir!" the three others complied.

The woman stood there with a smirk on her face. "Time to put Lassie to good use."

* * *

Joe took the speedboat to full throttle, hurrying back to the docks as fast as the boat could possibly go.

Suddenly, the waves became tense. The speedboat bounced high into the air on a few occasions, forcing Joe to slow down to a more steady pace.

"That's odd," Joe muttered, turning the headlights back on. He was able to see what he interpreted as a faint shadow beneath him.

He turned slight left, only to see this shadow staying adjacent to him. He kept an eye on the object, wary of any sudden movements.

A moment later, the object made a dash right toward the boat.

"Woah!" Joe turned sharp right to avoid a possible direct hit.

A massive object emerged from beneath the ocean, emitting waves so powerful it nearly capsized the speedboat.

"What in the world," he turned around. With the sheer darkness, and no desire to turn the boat around to shine the headlights on the object, he used his camera to get a visual. It was a lapras, and it was preparing to use a beam-like attack, manifesting powerful energy from its mouth.

"Oh no!" Joe yelled. The hostile pokemon fired a powerful beam. Unlike most pokemon moves, which are highly regarded as non-lethal, this beam seemed different. Even with the precious seconds Joe had to process what was going on and react to it, he noticed something unusual. This beam was brighter, and quicker, almost as if it was a previously undiscovered move.

Or maybe it was just Hyper Beam, but in lethal form, Joe thought. This lapras was sent to seal the loose end Joe had exposed himself as. Joe pressed the button on the camera, prompting a clicking noise that confirmed a picture was taken. He then had to make a split-second decision. He ditched the speedboat, jumping right into the water. A second later, Hyper Beam struck the boat, exploding it. Debris flew all over the place, and as there was no sign of Joe, the hostile lapras simply turned around and sailed away.

* * *

"Confirmed, object destroyed," the radar tech announced.

"Good girl, Lassie," the woman snickered.

"I hope the intruder is destroyed as well," the leader of the group seemed skeptical.

"That was a big explosion," the second male said. "There's no way he could have survived that."

"Let's hope he didn't," the leader rubbed his chin. "We want our plans to move forward without a hitch. If we're exposed before our phase is complete, our plans could fail."

"Camerupt Unit is proceeding with the next phase," the woman added. "Can't let them one-up us now."

"All we need is to complete our tasks without being discovered first," the leader stated. "Once we plunge Inventum into chaos, and the people cry for order, our job is complete."

* * *

The next morning, the twins were out on the road, wasting little time preparing breakfast and packing up their belongings before training their pokemon and continuing their adventure. They left the flat farmlands behind and, by mid morning, noticed a shift in terrain.

"Hey look," Jason pointed out. "Hills."

"We're getting close to Pattersbaugh Falls," Kristine mentioned. "We should be there by tomorrow."

"Think we can make it to the lodge by nightfall?" Jason asked. "Assuming there is one."

"I'd imagine there is. And yeah, we shouldn't be too far from the reserve itself."

The twins continued down the trail until it curved around the edge of a cliff, revealing a vast array of valleys over the horizon.

"Really reminds you of home, huh?" Kristine admired the beauty. "I do miss home sometimes, you know."

"Yeah, same here," Jason agreed. "And to think, if you go keep going west, you'd end up back home."

"Considering we're curving inland, we're actually traveling closer to home by the day."

"Yeah, but we're still hundreds of miles away."

"You know, once we get to Kennita, we'd be about 300 miles away."

"Shoot, that's less than two weeks if we pushed it," Jason added.

"Yeah," Kristine paused for a moment. "But we have a job to do."

"Yes we do," Jason nodded. "Let's move on."

It wasn't long before the twins realized they were alone near the cliff-side. They noticed Amanda standing at the edge, staring into the vast landscape ahead. She wore a sky-blue tank top and black sweatpants that came down to her ankles.

"Amanda, is that you?" Kristine asked, approaching her.

"Oh!" Amanda turned around. She wore the water droplet shaped sapphire necklace she won from the water tournament in Richland Port. "Didn't hear you guys approach me. Hi!"

Kristine noticed Amanda's eyes were red and watery. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Amanda sighed, and turned around. "Yeah, it is."

She couldn't hold back her tears. She ran to Kristine and hugged her as tightly as she could, sobbing. "I had to let Ledian go! She found a boy ledian and – and –"

"Hey, hey," Kristine calmly said, hugging Amanda back. "It's fine."

"Did I do the right thing?" Amanda worried, talking fast. "I hope I did the right thing. I think I did the right thing. Oh gosh, I hope I did."

Jason approached Kristine and Amanda. "You did the right thing," he assured her.

"Yeah," Amanda calmed down, but not without grabbing Jason by the collar and reeling him in for a group hug.

"I've had to do the same thing with Swellow," Jason said.

"I've heard," Amanda spoke.

"From who?"

Kristine and Amanda started laughing. "Julian," they both said.

"I know it's hard," Jason said. "Swellow is a valuable member of my team. She always will be."

Jason managed to wiggle his arm around, grabbing his seventh pokeball and showing it to Amanda. "Swellow always has a place on my team."

"Heh," Amanda smiled, sniffling. "Perhaps I should do the same."

"When did this happen?" Kristine asked.

"Last night," Amanda responded. "Not at all how I expected my day to end. At least I have my pokemon with me to keep me company."

"And you have us, too!" Kristine smiled. "Would you like to tag along with us to Raley City?"

Amanda hugged Kristine and Jason even tighter. "I would love to!"

She then let go a moment later.

"Have you seen Julian lately?" Kristine asked.

"Nope," Amanda shook her head. "Last I've seen him was in Richland Port."

"I'm surprised you two didn't travel together."

"Eh," Amanda shrugged. "I think he likes me, but not in that way."

"Are you sure?"

"Like, he's really nice, but he seems to do his own thing all the time."

"Does he know you like him?"

"I've sent signals to him all the time."

"Well, most guys are better at being more direct than subtle. Like how it's the other way around for most girls. Your signals probably went over his head."

"You're saying I should come up to him and tell him I have a crush on him?" Amanda blushed. "That's embarrassing!"

"Wait," Jason spoke up, finally realizing what Kristine and Amanda were talking about. "You have a crush on Julian?"

"See?" Amanda's face was beaming red.

Kristine chuckled. "Oh, Jason."

"What?" Jason seemed confused. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Amanda smiled. "Nothing at all. It's fine."

The trio soon continued back on the road towards Pattersbaugh Falls.

"So we should get to the lodge by sundown," Amanda said. "It's really not that far away."

"Good to know," Kristine said. "We don't have our guide."

"Really?" Amanda turned her head to Kristine. "How come?"

Kristine turned her head to Jason.

"It was your idea!" he playfully defended.

"Yeah," Kristine turned her head to Amanda. "It was. He bonded with a rowlet, and the Alolan trader wasn't going to give her up for free. So, we settled for a compromise."

"A book for a pokemon? Really?"

Kristine shrugged. "He called it a 'cultural exchange'".

"Whatever works, I suppose. Grats on Rowlet, Jason!"

"Thanks!" Jason replied.

"Anything else we should know?" Kristine asked Amanda.

"Well," Amanda pondered. "Not really. The falls are pretty. That's kind of it. Just have to be aware of narrow passages but it's really safe."

"Hey, think I can borrow your guide tonight?" Kristine asked, making sure she had her charming smile to help entice Amanda into saying yes.

"Of course!" Amanda happily obliged.

The trio continued further down the road, stopping for a brief lunch break before proceeding towards the lodge. As the sun began to set, they saw the tip of a large wooden structure that was mostly concealed by trees in front of them.

"Must be the lodge!" Amanda pointed out. "Race you there?"

"Last one's the rotten exeggcute!" Kristine was the first to run without hesitation.

"Hey!" Jason began to run. "You always do this!"

"Are countdowns even a thing with you two!?" Amanda took off right after Jason did.

The three ran down the road, and turned right at the fork en route to the pokemon lodge. Amanda sprinted as fast as she could, passing by Jason.

"How the?" Jason was taken by surprise.

And sure enough, seconds later, Amanda ran past Kristine. She was the first to run through the entrance of the three storied, wooden structured pokemon lodge. Kristine followed, finishing in a close second, with Jason right on her heels.

"Haha!" Amanda boasted. "Victory!"

"How did you run so fast?" Kristine asked, catching her breath.

"I run every day!" Amanda smiled. "Often with my pokemon!"

"No kidding!" Jason was also catching his breath. "Maybe we should try that too, huh sis?"

"Might benefit us, actually," Kristine contemplated.

"Welcome to the Route 110 Pokemon Lodge!" Nurse Joy greeted from behind the lobby desk.

"Thanks!" Kristine acknowledged.

The three looked around to see the nice, cozy wooden interior complete with rocking chairs, a beverage station, and a massive flat-screen TV at the far side of the lobby.

"It's been a little while since we've last been to a lodge," Jason noted. "It's really nice."

Nurse Joy smiled. "Why don't you come on up and I'll get you some rooms for the night?"

"Works for me!" Amanda practically skipped to the desk. "One studio please!"

"Sure, let me just get your credentials," Nurse Joy requested.

"Oh yeah," Amanda handed Nurse Joy her pokedex.

"Oh, Amanda Sanders," Nurse Joy received an alert on her computer screen. "I have a package delivered to you from your mother."

"Mom?" Amanda seemed surprised. "Well, I wonder what it could be?"

Nurse Joy reached underneath her desk, and a moment later she pulled out a moderate sized wrapped box for Amanda.

"I can't believe she'd actually send something to a pokemon lodge," Amanda laughed.

"Why is that wrapped like a present?" Jason bluntly asked.

"Well…" Amanda was hesitant to answer.

For Amanda, it quickly became a situation where Liz entering the picture would be the last thing she needed. That's exactly what happened. Liz walked down the staircase to see Amanda and the twins at Nurse Joy's desk. It was her move to strike.

Liz quietly approached the three. Kristine turned around, thanks to her keen perception tipping her off. Liz made no sound, only putting her finger before her own mouth, signaling "hush" towards Kristine. Jason turned around and got the same signal from Liz. Nurse Joy looked ahead to notice Liz's approach, which alerted Amanda.

Amanda knew what was going to happen. She just knew in her gut Liz was already here. She closed her eyes, and gave an annoyed smile, a look that accepted what was about to happen.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PANDY!" Liz screamed at the top of her lungs, her intentionally obnoxious celebration attracting the attention of nearby trainers and causing Nurse Joy to laugh.

"Thanks, Liz," Amanda still had her eyes closed. "Thanks."

"Oh, come on," Liz put her hands on the back of Amanda's shoulders. "You're the big one-three now!"

"Okay, okay," Amanda loosened up. "Man, the past day's been one roller coaster, let me tell you."

"Well, can I wish you a happy birthday?" Kristine asked.

"Yeah, of course!" Amanda turned around.

"Yeah, happy birthday Amanda!" Jason added.

"Thanks guys," Amanda expressed her gratitude. "You two rock."

"How about me?" Liz chuckled.

Amanda faced Liz. "You are Elizabeth Rose. You already know you rock."

"Ain't that the truth!" Liz confidently spoke.

"Room 214, on the right side!" Nurse Joy confirmed Amanda's room.

"Thanks!" Amanda gave a nod and stepped aside for Jason and Kristine.

"Your boyfriend's here as well," Liz continued.

Amanda blushed. "He's not my boyfriend!"

"Yet."

Amanda tried to muster a defense, but she knew she couldn't argue with that.

"All right, Jason and Kristine Kyar," Nurse Joy addressed. "Two twin beds, room 237 on the left once you head upstairs."

"Appreciate it!" Jason replied.

Jason, Kristine, Amanda, and Liz proceeded towards the center of the lobby.

"So, what's in the box?" Liz asked.

Amanda faced Liz, Jason, and Kristine. "You guys wanna see?"

"Sure!" Jason and Kristine said at the same time.

"Let's see what Mom got you!" Liz playfully suggested.

Amanda unwrapped the box, revealing a digital tablet.

"Well, hello technology," Liz seemed amazed.

"Your mom got you a tablet?" Kristine seemed almost jealous. "No way!"

"Hehe," Amanda gleamed with joy. "I can take pictures with this! And have a social media account!"

"Hey," Liz gave a light laugh. "Whatever floats your boat."

"I can upload my pokedex into this thing too," Amanda continued. "And I don't need my guide anymore, so you can have it, Kristine and Jason."

"Sweet, thanks!" Kristine happily replied.

As Amanda started up the tablet, she quickly prepared to take photos with it.

"First selfie!" Amanda flipped the camera settings. "You guys get behind me!"

Jason, Kristine, and Liz all stood behind Amanda, waving and smiling.

Amanda pressed the button to take the picture. "And done!"

"Hey," Liz began to suggest. "We should all go through Pattersbaugh Falls in the morning together."

"Sounds like a blast!" Amanda agreed. She faced the twins. "You in?"

"Yep!" Jason replied.

"For sure!" Kristine added.

"We can get Julian to come as well," Liz continued. "Anyone else?"

"Where's Bran at?" Kristine asked.

"Bran? Haven't seen him," Liz tried to recollect her recent memories.

"I'm sure he's not too far behind," Amanda suggested with hope.

"And Alex?" Jason promptly asked.

"Alex? Don't think I've met him," Liz glanced towards the ceiling, thinking. "Have I?"

"You may have crossed paths with him without noticing," Kristine replied. "He's a trainer like the rest of us. Not an outgoing one, but he's at our level."

"You guys keep multiplying," Liz snickered, rolling her eyes. "More competition."

"He started at the same town as Julian," Amanda added. "I've heard about him. Mysterious, rude guy. Has a monferno, rhyhorn, sneasel, kirlia –"

"Kirlia?" Jason interrupted, surprised. "He has a kirlia?"

"Mmhmm," Amanda nodded. "And a luxio and a frillish."

"Frillish?" Kristine was intrigued. "Blue or pink?"

"Blue."

"And how do you know all of this?" Liz faced Amanda. "You know, aside from Julian telling you everything."

"Oh right," Amanda chuckled. "Well, we were traveling to Richland Port from the Mountains together, right? We come across this guy who just released a teddiursa back into the wild after capturing it. Julian knew him apparently and challenged him to a battle."

"And how did Julian do?" Jason asked.

"It was a five on five, and Julian lost big time. But he managed to get Alex to reveal his whole hand, his 'core team'.

"How'd he manage to do that?"

"By calling him some heartless trainer who doesn't know what he wants. He showed off his entire team in response."

"Apparently his family hates that."

"Well," Amanda tilted her head. "Don't know what else to tell you. Truth hurts."

Jason nodded in silent agreement.

"He's likely halfway through the falls anyways," Kristine said.

A moment of silence ensued. Jason, Kristine, and Amanda were weary and were looking forward to the warmth and comfort of their rooms. Liz, on the other hand, originally came down for a cup of lemonade.

"So, tomorrow we go through the falls together!" Amanda declared, trying to keep some form of conversation moving.

"Wear your swimming gear," Liz suggested. "It's gonna be wet."

"Noted," Jason replied.

"Maybe we should check our rooms out," Kristine said, stretching her arms.

"Good idea for you," Liz proceeded towards the beverage stand. "Rooms are pretty nice!"

"Oh yeah," Amanda reminded herself, taking her backpack off her shoulders and placing it on the ground. She pulled out a field guide and handed it to Kristine. "Here you go!"

"Awesome, thank you very much!" Kristine had a heavy grin on her face.

"I knew you'd miss it dearly," Jason laughed.

"I suppose I did," Kristine tightly grasped the book with both her hands and held it closely.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow morning?" Amanda added before departing. "We'll give Julian and Bran a little grace period before leaving."

"Works for me!" Kristine agreed. "See you tomorrow morning!"

"Yeah, see you!" Jason added.

* * *

The sunsets of Richland Port are a daily spectacle, drawing in hundreds, even sometimes thousands, of onlookers to the beaches every evening. Many people weren't shy of bringing out their pokemon either. It was meant to be a relaxing hour of sitting back and watching the beautiful natural display of bright warm colors over the horizon, with the sun as the centerpiece. Silence began to kick in as the sunset took place. That sense of peace and harmony was shattered when a woman let out a blood-curdling shriek. Beach-goers nearby ran to see what was going on.

There, a man was on the ground, seemingly unconscious. He was towed ashore by what appeared to be his pokemon. Poliwhirl and Quagsire used themselves as floatation devices, laying on their backs to keep Joe afloat. Seel had helped by nudging the two pokemon, keeping them on course towards the shoreline. Krabby had used his claws to reel them in, while Psyduck and Prinplup helped make sure the group was safe en route to the shore.

"What happened?" one woman asked.

A man examined Joe as he was gently placed on the ground on his back. "He must've ditched his oxygen tank. And his suit has some tears."

"Was he attacked?" another man wondered.

"I'm calling the ambulance!" another woman yelled.

"There were search teams looking for a missing man and his six pokemon today," a third man mentioned.

"Wait, that's Joe, from the ICC, right?" a fourth man asked. "We have to keep him alive!"

"Excuse me!" a woman burst her way through the crowd. Once they realized who she was, they gave her enough space to get to Joe.

"Oh no no no," Brie practically slid towards Joe. "You're gonna be okay, Joe!"

Brie took off her backpack, pulling out some essential first aid equipment. "We've been looking for you all day. We found what was left of the boat. I'm so sorry you had to do this alone."

Brie gazed at Joe's team. It was Joe who conducted a rogue recon mission himself, but it was his pokemon who ultimately saved him. Psyduck almost forgot about the camera he had around his neck and presented it to Brie.

"You all did Joe proud," she addressed them, taking the camera from Psyduck.

Joe's pokemon didn't make a sound. They were all concerned over their trainer's well-being.

An ambulance drove right up the beach moments later. Brie managed to remove the pokeballs from Joe's belt and recalled his entire team. The paramedics at the scene placed Joe on a stretcher and inside the ambulance before hauling him away to the nearby hospital.

"I'll get you guys checked out," Brie spoke under her breath, power walking back to the conservation center so that she could treat any possible injuries.

Brie knew it in her mind that whoever tried to kill Joe didn't want him to find out whatever he did. And the camera he had might have clues as to who could be causing trouble out at sea…

* * *

Jason walked downstairs into the lobby. A cold glass of chocolate milk simply sounded good to him. He only wished that more pokemon centers and lodges would offer beverage stations like this. He walked down with just a white t-shirt and deep blue pajama bottoms on. He walked towards the beverage station as he heard commotion from several trainers hovering near the television screen.

"What happened to him?" a girl Jason's age asked. "Would anyone try to hurt him?"

"Why would they?" a boy asked, crossing his arms. "It must have been an accident."

"Accident or not, his pokemon saved his skin," a second girl added.

Jason seemed curious enough to head on over after grabbing himself a glass and pouring chocolate milk from an automated chilled dispenser.

 _Conservationist in Critical Condition After Washing Ashore; Boat Found Sunk,_ read the headliner. The camera panned the beach of Richland Port, though nothing was really happening, while the story was narrated by an anchorwoman. The volume was too low for Jason to hear, but it didn't stop him from wanting to know what exactly was going on.

"What's happening?" he asked in front of several fully geared trainers.

"Other than the headline, that's all we really know," the first girl replied. "It was Joe."

"Joe?" Jason seemed surprised. "I know him. I've battled him in the Power Duo. That stinks, I hope he gets well soon."

"Wait," the boy who spoke earlier briefly examined Jason. "I know you. You won the Power Duo last month."

"Yeah, that was me," Jason plainly confirmed, with no intention to boast given the circumstances. "And my sis. Anyways, you all have a good night."

All trainers glanced at Jason as he departed upstairs.

"Power Duo winner huh?" the second girl muttered. "Wish I can do stuff like that and walk around like I own everything."

"Not sure if that's confidence, shamelessness, or both," the boy seemed to admire Jason.

"I just wish I was in my pajamas right now, only I'd grab a hot beverage," the second girl envisioned. "Too bad I got in so late!"

All of this was in earshot of Jason. He simply smirked and went on his way. He turned the corner, nearly bumping into Julian.

"Oh, hey buddy!" Julian was surprised, yet happy to see Jason. He wore a white tank top and black shorts, also heading downstairs. "How have you been?"

"Doing just fine," Jason raised his glass to him.

"Yeah? One of those sounds good right about now. Catch you in the morning?"

"Yeah, we're all heading out. Us, Liz, and Amanda, if you wanna tag along."

"Sounds like a blast!" Julian accepted, proceeding around the corner. "See you in the morning!"

* * *

The twins woke up the next morning. They didn't need the alarm that was placed on the drawer between the two beds to wake them up; the loud calls from the local wild pokemon such as doduo and spearow was more than enough.

Kristine exiled Jason to the bathroom so that she could get dressed. While doing so, she turned on the television in the room. Jason had let her know last night what happened, and she wanted to see if there was any developing news.

"Looks like nothing new's happening," Kristine relayed to Jason. "Not even an update on Joe."

"Means he's hanging in there, right?" Jason replied optimistically.

"Sure hope so," Kristine rubbed her chin. She finished getting dressed, letting Jason back out.

Jason wore a white bathing suit and a blue top to go with it. Kristine wore her green bikini top with black shorts.

Once the twins got their belongings together, they headed out. Upon reaching the lobby, they noticed Amanda and Liz standing at the center and ready to go. Liz wore a red bikini top and white gym shorts. Amanda wore the same-styled black sweatpants from yesterday to go with a blue bikini top.

"So is that all of us?" Liz said, acknowledging the twins' arrival.

"I'm here!" Julian yelled, running down the stairs. He wore black swimming trousers and a white tank top. "Let's do it!"

"Hi Julian!" Amanda smiled and waved.

"Hey!" Julian smiled back.

"So that makes five for six," Liz verified. "Anyone seen Bran?"

"Nope," Jason said.

Kristine looked around, disappointed that Bran was nowhere to be found.

"Let's get to it!" Liz declared as the group left the lodge.

They proceeded down the dirt path before taking a right at the fork.

"Hey!" they heard a voice behind them. To their relief, especially Kristine's, it was Bran, who was frantically running towards them. Wearing a black t-shirt and dark green swimming trunks, he successfully caught up to the group. "I can't miss out on the fun now!"

"Glad to have ya, big guy," Liz gave Bran a fist bump.

"Glad to be here," Bran nodded.

"Get in late last night?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah, close to midnight," Bran laughed. "So close, yet so far, you know? Had to push it."

"Wasting no time," Liz added.

"I knew you were ahead," Bran figured. "Can't waste any more time."

"Raley City here we come!" Amanda threw her fist in the air with excitement.

The group went further down the path. They went uphill and into a heavily forested area. Pockets of light shined through the thick canopy above. Soon enough, they could hear the streams of water nearby, followed by distant roaring of waterfalls.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Liz led the way through the thick forest out into an open paradise. "Pattersbaugh Falls."

With not a single cloud in the sky, the group witnessed one of Inventum's wonders – a system of waterfalls, all originating from the mountain regions. It was as if mother nature herself sculpted the seemingly endless cliffside to the south and created a three-tiered system of waterfalls dropping before more waterfalls. Avian pokemon such as pidgeotto and staravia flew in the distance, some of them strafing the waterfalls with their wings. Wild land pokemon like stantler, breloom, and gloom were seen drinking water from the rivers and lakes above. The peaceful roar of the falls and the fresh, revitalizing smell they emit complimented the magnificent sight, with everyone in the group astonished by its sheer beauty.

Kristine primed the first two pokeballs she grabbed from her belt. "Everyone, bring out your teams."

She released Espeon and Fletchinder, followed by Pikachu, Machop, and Snorunt, before releasing Dratini at a nearby river.

"I'm with you!" Jason primed Jolteon's pokeball and released him before bringing out Kirlia, Riolu, Growlithe, and Rowlet. Like Kristine, Jason released Magikarp into the river.

"Come on out, Wartortle!" Amanda tossed her pokeball into the air. She did the same with Flaaffy, Staravia, and Nidorina, before releasing Feebas into the river.

"All right," Liz primed her pokeballs one by one, bringing out Charmeleon, Liepard, Mankey, Phanpy, and Haunter. She released her mystery pokemon into the river.

"Horsea!" the water-type dragon pokemon, as its species name was given, seemed appeased.

"A horsea, huh?" Kristine gazed over at the pokemon. "Congrats!"

"All right," Julian went next. He brought out Grotle, Pidgeotto, Pancham, and Vulpix. He found a nice open area to bring out Onix.

"Here we go!" Bran brought out Ivysaur, Kadabra, Noctowl, Honedge, and Herdier.

The group crossed the nearby bridge with all 33 pokemon covering a moderate radius around them. All water-based pokemon swam along the river adjacent to the falls. The path led the group up a flight of stairs built into the cliff, clearing the first tier. Some pokemon followed them closely, such as Kirlia, Rowlet, Snorunt, Flaaffy, Phanpy, and Herdier. Pidgeotto, Staravia, Fletchinder, and Noctowl took to the skies, soaring over the group and the falls. Jolteon was seen running with Espeon, Growlithe, Pikachu, Nidorina, Liepard, and Vulpix down below, almost as if it was a race.

Trailing behind was Ivysaur, Kadabra and Grotle, slowly pacing forward at their own leisure. Onix managed to climb on top of the cliff and roared triumphantly. Riolu, Machop, Mankey, and Pancham stuck together in the lower tier as if they were forming a club of their own.

Haunter and Honedge were nowhere to be found. But being ghost types, there were no worries for their whereabouts. They appeared from time to time, seemingly manifesting from nowhere. This would send chills down Kirlia. Jason felt the same way, but he held back his emotions. He knew he was going to be around ghost pokemon from time to time. And given Rowlet's evolutionary line, he knew he and Kirlia had to overcome that fear at some point.

The group came across the first set of waterfalls, crossing a path that curved behind several of these majestic beauties.

Amanda skipped ahead, using her left hand to strafe the waterfalls. She hopped around to face the rest of the group. "This is awesome!"

The group started to get wet from the mist coming from the waterfalls. They all at one point brushed their hands against the roaring falls. They cleared the first set of waterfalls, approaching a sturdy wooden bridge that would take them over the next set of waterfalls from the lowest tier.

"Should we admire the beauty of this?" Kristine suggested.

"Yeah," Liz agreed. "Shall we take 15?"

"Sure," Jason nodded.

Everyone else agreed as well. They all sat downside by side, from left to right being Amanda, Liz, Jason, Kristine, Julian, and Bran. Their legs and feet dangled over the edge of the bridge just over the waterfalls. Kristine took a moment to put her visor away and untie her ponytail, leaving her wet hair wavy. They could see the forest ahead of them, with distant wild pokemon soaring overhead. All wild pokemon within the vicinity made an effort to avoid the group in order to evade capture. But no one, including those with incomplete teams – Amanda, Julian, and Bran - were interested in adding to their team at this time.

"Hey!" Amanda had an idea. "Let's pose for a photo!"

"All right," Liz obliged, leaning closer to Amanda.

Amanda pulled out her tablet from her backpack.

"You worried about that thing getting wet?" Liz asked.

"It's waterproof," Amanda smiled.

"Yeah, just don't drop it," Liz warned.

"And shatterproof!"

"Yeah, well," Liz looked down. "Probably don't wanna test it to certain extremes."

Amanda activated the photo settings. "Everyone scooch in!"

To Amanda's right and left, Liz and Kristine leaned in, respectively. Jason hovered over Kristine, crouching down, with Bran and Julian coming over. Bran crouched down over Liz, while Julian crouched over Amanda.

"Now everyone make weird faces!" Amanda said.

Amanda smiled with an open mouth as big as she could, her eyes wide as possibly as she could expand them. Liz crossed her eyes, while Bran posed as a thinking man, his eyes closed, facing sideways from the camera, with his chin resting on his clenched fist.

"Woo!" Julian posed as an overexcited party-goer, with his hands in the air. Amanda couldn't get his hands in the frame, but she didn't care.

"Get over here, you!" Kristine pulled Jason in, gently grabbing him by the neck. Jason played along, imitating a choking gesture.

Amanda took the shot. "You guys are crazy!"

She examined the tablet. "Should I post it on social media?"

"Yes!" Liz said. "And tag Scarlet in it!"

"Okay," Amanda did just that. "What should I say? Hmm," she contemplated for a moment. "Having a great time at Pattersbaugh Falls! Watch out Scarlet, we're coming for you!"

"Perfect," Liz grinned.

"Well, you've done it now," Julian laughed.

"You've just challenged a gym leader," Jason added. "Time to get ready!"

A second later, Amanda heard a pinging noise on her tablet. Her heart rate shot up when she saw what the alert was about.

"Guys?" she showed everyone else the tablet.

Everyone gasped.

"No way!" Julian mustered to speak.

The reply was from Scarlet herself. "Bring it!" simply read the text. Her portrait was on display, showcasing a determined smirk from a woman with jet black hair styled with classic, uneven bangs. A red streak went down the center-right of her hair, and she had deep blue eyes, complimenting her appearance and reputation as a challenging gym leader.

"Well then," Bran lifted his hands up. "She knows we're coming."

"And there goes the element of surprise," Kristine said. "She's probably looking all of us up right now."

"To be fair, she probably looks at the pokemon center's registry every day in anticipation of new challengers," Liz mentioned. "She'd know eventually."

"Well, we'll definitely need to look her up too," Kristine added.

"I can tell you she has a better winning record than the three previous gym leaders," Liz mentioned.

"As if the first three were tough enough," Bran chuckled nervously.

"Are we famous now?" Julian half-jokingly asked Amanda.

Amanda checked her tablet. "Well, the 'likes' are piling up. So yes?"

"Oh goody," Jason said sarcastically. "Spotlight."

"Welcome to being a trainer," Liz replied. "I mean, if you won the Power Duo, this shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"It's still something to get used to," Jason said. "The impromptu live interviews, the thousands of people watching you."

"I guess you're right," Liz contemplated.

The group got up and moved on moments later, with the thought of facing Scarlet on the front of everyone's minds.

"What pokemon does she use?" Bran asked.

"The Valor kind," Liz bluntly replied, shrugging.

Amanda browsed through Scarlet's gym leader profile on her tablet. "Expect fire, flying, and fighting types. And, well,"

"What's up?" Kristine leaned in, curious.

"She never keeps the same team through consecutive battles," Amanda continued. "Just to throw us off, I guess."

"So, no real strategy to face her?" Kristine seemed disappointed.

"It's obvious, it's all about our passion as a trainer," Liz added.

"When strategy goes out the door," Jason said. "When all you have left is your pokemon and your connected love for battling. That is what she will test."

"There is just one simple solution to this," Amanda smiled.

"And what's that?" Julian asked.

Amanda faced him. "Don't lose!"

The group continued through slopes, bridges, and curves along the waterfalls, gradually going uphill as they savored every moment. Sadly, the day seemed to end all too soon, as did the falls themselves. After trekking the entire day through Pattersbaugh Falls with all their pokemon, the end was in sight. The group began to recall all their pokemon, clearing the way for wild pokemon as well as incoming trainers. After spending a few moments recalling, the group came across the unique fork in the road. They had two options: following the path down the ledges below towards the distant pokemon lodge or take a supervised zip-line to the roof of the lodge itself.

"What is this?" Liz approached the zip-line, as did everyone else.

A man stood by the zip-line. "Last call!" he said. "We close at sundown."

"Sign me up!" Liz stood at the edge of the platform. She had to be at least a hundred feet above ground.

The attendant grabbed a vest that had a hook attached to it. "Let's put this on you first."

"Let's do it!" Jason stood behind Liz.

"Wait, can't the birthday girl go first?" Amanda stood behind Liz.

Liz sighed, but agreed. "Fine. Go."

"Wait a second," Bran seemed surprised.

"Amanda, you didn't tell me it was your birthday!" Julian was shocked.

Amanda giggled. "Oh yeah. Technically, yesterday was."

"Well happy birthday! Are you 13 now?"

"Yeah," Amanda slightly blushed. "A little late to the party, I know. I'm the oldest one here, aren't I?"

"Nothing wrong with that," Julian smiled. "We all get started sooner or later."

"Well, thanks!" Amanda gave a cute smile back.

The group got geared up moments later, with the order being Amanda, Liz, Jason, Julian, Kristine, and Bran.

"You ready?" the attendant asked Amanda, who had herself hooked up to the zip-line and ready to go.

"Ready!" Amanda gave a nod.

"Have fun, Pandy!" Liz waved just as Amanda made that step off the ledge.

"I told you to not call me that ever!" Amanda yelled back, her voice fainting from the ledge as she zipped towards the pokemon lodge. This was followed by a faint "Woo hoo!".

Everyone else laughed.

"What a good kid," Liz smiled. She faced everyone else once she was latched up and given the clear to go, using two fingers to wave goodbye. "See you on the other side!" she stepped off the ledge with pure confidence.

Jason stood next in line, pumped up and ready to go. A moment later, he was given the clear to go.

"You got this, bro!" Kristine cheered him on as he stepped off.

Jason felt the adrenaline rush kick in during the first few seconds as he flew over the forest below with just his harness, the latch, and a reinforced line keeping him from the clutches of gravity. A calm breeze kicked in, and with the sun going down, this captivated what was going to go down as one of the most memorable days yet.

It may have lasted not even thirty seconds. But to Jason, it lasted much longer. It was one of those moments he photographed to memory. He placed his two feet at the ready once the lodge drew closer. Upon entering the platform, a wooden brake on the line stopped Jason from proceeding any further. An attendant swiftly yet safely unhooked him to get him out of the way for the next person.

"That was awesome!" Jason cheered, exchanging high fives with Amanda and Liz.

A moment later, Julian arrived.

"Man, that was sweet!" he threw both his arms in the air as he was being taken off.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kristine and Bran were the last ones on standby to ride the zip line.

Bran chuckled with a hint of nervousness in his tone. "Is it too late to mention that I'm afraid of heights and high velocities put together?"

"If you trekked the Mountains, you can do anything!" Kristine encouraged him. She then gave him a flirtatious smile. "Besides, I'll be seeing you on the other side!"

She winked and stepped off.

Kristine embraced the environment around her. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day, she thought. Once the zip line ended, the attendant there removed her to make way for Bran. Jason was there to exchange two high fives with her, using both hands.

* * *

Bran was the last one to go, given the clear but showing hesitation.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" the attendant bluntly encouraged. "She's waiting on the other side for you!" It may have also to do with the fact that he's playfully nudging Bran because he is literally the last rider of the day before it's time to clock out.

"Right," Bran replied before facing the edge with confidence. He closed his eyes and stepped off.

"I'd do it again!" Kristine raved just as everyone took off their safety gear. She looked over towards the zip-line, happy to see Bran is on his way.

"How does this thing stop!?" Bran came flying in.

Liz simply pointed at the wooden brake on the line.

It instantly stopped Bran as the attendant got a hold of him and took him off the line.

"Well," Kristine hopped over. "What'd you think?"

Bran could feel his hands tremble from the ordeal. "It was awesome!" he boasted.

After he got the safety gear taken off, the group proceeded towards the door of the roof of the pokemon lodge. They noticed the attendant from the other side using the zip-line to travel to the lodge.

"Must be a fun job," Liz mentioned.

Once inside, they traveled down several flights of stairs to enter the lobby. It was much like its sister from the other side of the falls, embracing the group with its warming atmosphere and beverage station.

"Well," Amanda stood in front of the group, addressing them. "I have to be perfectly honest. I tried to keep my 13th birthday a secret, but the only person who really knew it was my birthday was Liz, because we practically lived down the street from each other. Two days ago, I let Ledian depart from my team so that she could live her life the way she wanted to. As you can tell, I have all sorts of feelings right now."

She began to shed tears. "You guys have helped make today - and Jason and Kristine you've made yesterday as well – the best days I could have ever asked for. And I can't forget about my pokemon and all of our pokemon who do their best every single day to be the best pokemon and it's because of them that actually make us –"

"Amanda," Liz stepped forward, interrupting what was spiraling into an emotional ramble. "I tease you a lot. But just know you're practically my best friend. And my best rival. You're too pure for this world."

"Thanks," Amanda cheered up.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it!" Liz smirked. "You know I don't get like that often."

"Is that a tear I see running down your cheek?" Bran bantered.

"Hush!" Liz defended.

Laughter ensued from the rest of the group.

"We're gonna have to do this more often," Amanda suggested. "We'll have to reach the Inventum Cup all together when it's time."

"For a cause like that, we need a team name," Julian said. "Like Team Rocket!"

"No!" everyone else exclaimed at the same time.

"Okay," Julian laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "We can work on the name later."

"But here's a motto we could all agreed with," Amanda suggested. Form a circle with hands at the center."

Everyone got together in a circle, each placing one hand in the center.

"Don't lose on three! One! Two! Three!"

"Don't lose!" everyone shouted.

After a memorable day in Pattersbaugh Falls, the group spent the night at the pokemon lodge closest to Raley City. The home of the Valor Gym is less than two days on foot. Scarlet awaits the arrival of six eager trainers hailing from the mountain regions. What will she, and the city itself, have in store for them?

* * *

 **Next chapter features an evolution. Will Jason or Kristine have this significant development occur on their team?**

 **There was a lot of information regarding pokemon teams that I threw out there, so here's a recap on everyone's teams (just the list of pokemon only, updated move sets will be shown in the upcoming chapters just so I can spread the information around).**

 **Jason: Jolteon, Kirlia, Magikarp, Riolu, Growlithe, Rowlet**

 **Kristine: Espeon, Fletchinder, Pikachu, Machop, Snorunt, Dratini**

 **Liz: Charmeleon, Liepard, Mankey, Phanpy, Haunter, Horsea**

 **Amanda: Wartortle, Staravia, Feebas, Flaaffy, Nidorina**

 **Julian: Grotle, Pidgeotto, Pancham, Onix, Vulpix**

 **Bran: Ivysaur, Noctowl, Kadabra, Honedge, Herdier**

 **Alex (according to Julian/Amanda: Monferno, Sneasel, Rhyhorn, Kirlia, Luxio, Frillish**


	36. Rings of Valor

**Here's a new chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Here it is! Raley City!" Liz pointed out.

She, along with Jason, Kristine, Amanda, Julian, and Bran walked along Route 111's cobble road with Raley City's skyline within sight.

"Valor Badge, here we come!" Julian cheered.

The group spent the previous night along Route 111, having set up their tents around a shared campfire. They departed the hilly forest terrain, entering flat grasslands.

As they got closer, paved roads became more prevalent, as did automobiles. Raley City was considered to be Inventum's fourth largest city. While not quite as big as Richland Port, the more compact metro area was still a sight to behold, with at least a dozen towering buildings standing at 20 stories or more, surrounded by commercial and residential districts from all sides.

"So," Kristine walked alongside her brother and the rest of the group, her eyes fixed on the guide book Amanda recently gave her. "Raley City boomed within the last twenty years, turning itself from a small city to a thriving hub that connects the coastal regions together, with Kenalta to the south and Viceport to the way way south. And, of course, Richland Port to the north."

"Pretty sure the Valor brand helped," Liz added. "The whole 'city pride' thing can catch on pretty quick."

"Considering Team Valor set up shop in Inventum 15 years ago, I'd say you're right," Kristine noted as she continued reading.

"Older than all of us," Jason mentioned.

"I wonder what Raley City will be like?" Amanda asked, browsing through her tablet.

"I have an idea," Julian suggested. "You should review your experience in Raley City. Blog it!"

"You can pick up a lot of younger followers that way," Bran contemplated.

Amanda shifted her eyes towards the two. "You guys are geniuses! I'll start blogging my adventures and give the rundown on Raley City!"

"At least you can give personal insight on the last nine gym leaders," Kristine chimed in.

"Wouldn't that be helpful to new trainers?" Jason snickered, knowing how good of an idea this was.

"You'd have to be active at this," Liz advised. "Consistent posting keeps the kids interested."

"You got that right," Amanda nodded. "From this day on, I'm making a blog, representing us as the next generation of trainers!"

The group walked along the sidewalk as passing cars zoomed past them. They were in the suburbs, approaching downtown Raley City. They passed several neighborhoods of one to two story homes, many which appeared to have been built within the past several years. Occasionally, they would see people with their pet pokemon out and about, usually the smaller, more tame ones such as snubbull, azurill, or pichu. These folks couldn't help themselves but frequently glance over at the group. Fully geared trainers were a fun sight to see; no one really knew for sure if they were looking at a future Cup contender, after all.

Jason noticed the glances. "I sense spotlight."

"The further you go, the brighter it gets," Liz replied. "Some is these people probably saw you and Kristine on TV last month."

"Not to mention the post Scarlet responded to," Amanda mentioned. She examined that very post on her tablet. "More than fifty thousand 'likes'."

"We're famous now!" Julian seemed excited by that idea.

After trekking through the suburban landscape, the group entered downtown Raley City. The buildings may not have been as big as some of the ones in Richland Port, but they were massive in their own merit. They all stood in close proximity to one another, making up the epicenter of all of Raley City. The Economy District, as Kristine read in the guide, was much less dedicated to entertainment or pokemon battles, but more about business aspects that can impact all of Inventum, good or bad.

The rest of Raley City was a different story. All four sides served as entertainment and commercial hubs. The group entered from the north end, which conveniently consisted the pokemon center, as well as various shopping centers centered around attire and supplies. The Trainers District, as it was aptly named, served as the hub for all incoming trainers.

Several blocks into the district, the group found the massive four story pokemon center, with deep red roofing and a light pink exterior. The group went inside, ready to settle down and prepare for what may lie ahead.

"Time to go get a comfy room and -" Amanda was the first to approach Nurse Joy's desk, but she was distracted by the television screen at the far side of the lobby.

It appeared to be on IPSN, with the anchors going about in their daily newscast, only the group picture that Amanda posted the other day was on full display at the right side of the screen.

"No way," Liz seemed surprised, approaching the screen.

"Oh man, I'm on TV!" Julian ran over.

"Yeah, me too," Bran seemed less comfortable at the idea.

"Fans of Team Valor we're surprised to find a pokemon trainer, known as Amanda Sanders, make a bold challenge to Scarlet just two days ago," the anchorman on the left addressed. "To which the Raley City gym leader responded, "Bring it!". While it appears Amanda is with a group of fellow trainers across Pattersbaugh Falls, two familiar faces are seen in the group photo: those of Jason and Kristine Kyar, who seem to do a little roughhousing pose. In case you were wondering where they were headed after claiming victory in last month's Power Duo, well, there you have it."

"Looks like Scarlet's gonna be busy for the next few days, Tom," the other anchorman chimed in before setting up for a commercial break. "Up next: where in the world are Dan and Dave Donnovan? Our own Yenela Kreea has answers."

Amanda walked up to the TV. "Our five seconds of fame," she was taken back.

"A single post did this," Liz said to her. "But to be fair, having the twins helped your odds."

Jason and Kristine, being the only ones not to approach the TV, approached Nurse Joy. It wasn't the first time they appeared on television, nor would it be the last, and they were very well aware of it. Besides, they didn't want to burst their friends' bubbles that their five seconds to fame on what was little more than a cute blip to fill time for a slow news day.

"Hi!" Kristine greeted. "One room with twin beds please!"

"Certainly!" Nurse Joy nodded, and began processing the information on her computer, before tilting her head upwards to face the twins. "Do you want to register for the Rings of Valor tomorrow?"

"Rings of Valor?" Jason seemed confused. "What's that?"

"It's a weekly competition that Team Valor hosts," Nurse Joy began to explain. "In the Valor, Arcade, and Shopping Districts are various objectives that you and your Pokémon hold. You accumulate points if you hold a spot, extra points if you hold it alone. The winner gets a chance to fight Scarlet the next day. And you only get to choose one Pokémon."

"One pokemon to hold down one spot?" Jason asked.

"Yep!" Nurse Joy confirmed. "You have to choose your spot wisely, because you all start right here in the Trainers District. Do you fight early in the Valor and Arcade districts or do you go for the Shopping District for potentially fewer opponents? And don't forget, advanced AI monitors the contest so if your pokemon faints, you can no longer get any more points."

"And how do we register our one pokemon?" Kristine asked. "Do we do it now or tomorrow?"

"Oh, you just release your pokemon out to the ring and the AI takes care of the rest," Nurse Joy smiled. Technology these days, huh?"

"Had nothing like it in the mountain regions," Jason mentioned.

"Ah, yes," Nurse Joy chuckled. "My cousins complain about doing things the old fashioned way from time to time."

Kristine looked at Jason. "You wanna do this?"

"For sure!" Jason replied, pumped up at the thought of competition.

"Okay, I'll just register you both in while I book your room," Nurse Joy said. "Your room is 301 on the left side, first door on the right."

Liz walked back towards the desk, facing the twins. "It May have been five seconds, but that was an awesome five seconds!"

"If we keep it up, we'll be in the spotlight all the time!" Kristine smiled.

"Yeah," Jason chuckled with a sense of uncertainty. "Spotlight."

"There's a competition tomorrow," Kristine addressed Liz. "You interested?"

"Competition, eh?" Liz seemed intrigued. "Well, spill the info. What's it about?"

"Competition?" Julian overheard, walking over. "Is there a tournament going on?"

"A tournament?" Amanda skipped over towards the desk. "I like tournaments!"

"Okay, what's going on?" Bran saw the commotion, and approached the group.

Nurse Joy let out a light laugh. "Okay, I'll run it all down for you. First off, you're all booking separate rooms, right?"

"Hey, we'll see you guys later!" Kristine said as she and Jason began to approach the nearby staircase.

"Bye!" Amanda waved.

Everyone else seemed too focused on Nurse Joy briefing them on the competition. The twins proceeded to the third floor through two flights of stairs, heading to their room. Once Kristine swiped the reader on the door with her key card, the door opened.

"Man," Jason quickly took off his backpack, dropping it practically in front of the door. "Time to get some rest."

Kristine shoved his backpack to the side with her right leg. "It's like noon."

"Well, we could find lunch somewhere nearby."

"Well," Kristine contemplated. "We can relax for a bit and head out later."

"Sounds good to me!" Jason walked over and sat down on the twin bed closest to the window before going through his pokedex. "I'm gonna have to figure out who to use tomorrow night?"

"We should come up with a plan," Kristine suggested. "We're competing against each other no matter what. Do we go together or do we split?"

"Nurse Joy said we get points for holding a ring, more if we hold it alone," Jason faced Kristine. "We could hold it together until we've defeated everyone, then fight."

"Would that be against the rules?" Kristine wondered.

Jason shrugged. "We can split. Show off our own strength, and may the best trainer win."

Kristine crossed her arms with a smile on her face in approval. "May the best trainer win, indeed."

* * *

The twins went out to explore the Trainers District later in the afternoon, leaving their backpacks behind but keeping their belts and pokeballs with them. The color theme of the entire district was red; all buildings had red rooftops, while some had red streaks right through the exterior walls. Even the pedestrian walkways had a red outline, and the lane markings that divide automobile traffic were light pink, likely as a compromise since red would be too dark to see, especially at night.

It became apparent to the twins what Raley City was themed around. They didn't need to go to the south side of the city to figure it out.

"We're inside a giant pokeball," Jason bluntly stated.

"We sure revolve our entire existence around our pokemon," Kristine chuckled.

The twins continued walking, passing by supply shops. They even passed by an In Your Element, and it appeared to be smaller than the one in Richland Port.

"They have one of these here as well?" Jason seemed surprised.

"It's a chain," Kristine mentioned. "I think they have two or three others besides the one in Richland Port and the one here."

"Might have to check it out then."

"Possibly. I've been having ideas lately for my teams having moves to cover their own weaknesses."

"Is it because of that machop who knew how to use Flamethrower?"

"Not quite. But knowing how machop is weak to flying types, well, what beats flying types?"

"Electric, ice, rock," Jason replied right off the top of his head.

"Well, there you go," Kristine smiled.

"I mean, that's smart," Jason commended.

"I try."

"By the way, shouldn't we be getting supplies? We were running a little light on human and pokemon food. Not to mention one of our canteens sprung a leak last night. Might want to replace it."

"Yeah," Kristine gave a nod. "But not until we leave the city. We can pretty much eat out, and the Pokémon center can feed our Pokémon."

"Good idea."

The twins came across a park moments later, much like the one in Richland Port. It came complete with several battle fields as well as an artificial lake in the center, in addition to wide open fields for training and scrimmaging."

"Found our training spot," Jason had a grin on his face. Kristine knew this was where her brother was going to do the vast majority, if not all, of his training with his team, but she had other ideas in mind.

"You know," she faced her brother. "I'm probably going to hit In Your Element. At least for tomorrow."

"Oh," Jason seemed slightly surprised, but he soon feared he may have overstepped. "Yeah, sis. You do your thing. Didn't mean to speak for you too."

Kristine snickered. "Don't worry about it."

As the twins began walking back towards the Pokémon center, they came across a Kantonian noodle shop, where they enjoyed an early dinner. As Jason enjoyed every bite of noodles covered in sauce and chopped up veggies and garnishes, Kristine could barely feel her tongue through the overwhelming spices of her bowl. A cold, refreshing glass of milk back at the Pokémon center a short while later helped relieve her taste buds.

"Talk me out of spicy food next time," Kristine said while catching her breath after practically downing the entire glass in one setting.

Jason laughed. "Will do."

"Next time, I'll get what you have," Kristine added, before going on to banter her brother. "Do you even remember what you had? You ate it so fast!"

"Nope!"

The twins went back upstairs to the third floor to retire for the evening. Jason had turned the television on while Kristine got undressed and switched to her pajamas in the bathroom. Jason flipped through the channels with the remote he grabbed from the night stand next to his bed until he got to IPSN.

"Ash Ketchum wins Kalos," read the headliner.

A replay showed the final moments leading to Ash's victory in the Kalos Championship.

"Pikachu dodges Scizor's Fury Cutter! He's using Thunderbolt to get him to back off! Scizor takes the warning and narrowly dodges it! It's all or nothing here!" A broadcaster was recorded announcing to the viewers at the time of the match, which appeared to be in the evening in Kalos. With Kalos being five hours ahead of Inventum's coast, the finals likely occurred while Jason and Kristine were out exploring the Trainers District.

"Man," Jason seemed slightly disappointed to have missed the match when it went live. "That would've been cool."

"Scizor's looking weary from the hits he's been taking earlier!" the broadcaster continued, as recorded, his voice picking up speed and volume. "Here we go! Ash is going for it! Pikachu is charging for Volt Tackle! Scizor is trying to dodge! Pikachu is on him like a homing missile! Scizor can't dodge! He can't dodge! HE CAN'T DODGE! PIKACHU DELIVERS A DIRECT HIT! SCIZOR IS DOWN! HE IS DOWN! AND THE REF CALLS IT! ASH WINS! ASH WINS!"

Roars or cheering could be heard in the background. Ash was seen running out to the field, virtually tackling Pikachu to the ground in an emotional celebration. The other trainer took his loss with humility and recalled his Pokémon.

The replay ended, with silence sinking in for a brief moment.

"And that was Ash's first ever Kalos League victory," Tom the anchorman said.

"What was that?" Kristine walked out with her pajamas on.

"Ash won Kalos!" Jason addressed.

"And so he did," Kristine fixed her eyes on the television screen.

"His last tenure in the Kalos League was years ago, where he lost to Alain in a heated finale." Tom continued. "The ceremony that took place was spoiled by Team Flare's sudden terrorist attack in Lumiose City. But nothing was going to take away from the well deserved victory today.

"And there is some bad news. Well, good news depending on which trainers you're asking. When asked if he will compete in the Inventum Cup in a few months, Ash responded that he will spend more time in the far eastern regions, closer to home, before traveling overseas once more. But there's always next year!"

"Next year, huh?" Jason smirked.

"Well, bro," Kristine patted him on the shoulder. "We got badges to win first."

"Still got a whole lot of work to do," Jason nodded. "He's living the dream right now, and that's where I want to be."

"Me too," Kristine began to envision herself as a worldwide champion.

The twins soon went to bed, wondering what exactly will be in store for them the next day.

* * *

Dawn rose over Raley City. Kristine was the first to get up, getting ready for the day in the bathroom as Jason got up moments later. They put on their gear before heading out to the lobby to grab breakfast. They didn't notice anyone from their group; only a handful of trainers were present, also fully geared and looking for a quick bite before going on with their day.

After helping themselves to the confidential breakfast selection of toast, bagels, muffins, milk, and lemonade, Jason and Kristine went out for the day, heading towards the park and In Your Element, respectively. Kristine waved goodbye as she walked into the main entrance of the facility, while Jason proceeded onward to the park.

Upon paying the single day admission of $25, Kristine entered a three story facility designed to help pokemon learn new moves and hone their skills in battle. She noticed it was much like the one in Richland Port, modern and full of advanced technology, only this location was more compact with fewer training rooms and less space in between them.

With a little bit of luck, or perhaps due to the facility opening not even thirty minutes ago, Kristine found a training room with a pool off to the far left corner all to herself. She summoned all of her Pokémon.

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted, sitting gracefully before Kristine.

"Fletch!" Fletchinder flapped his wings, standing around as if he was waiting for instructions.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu ran around Kristine in circles.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt ran after Pikachu.

"Machop!" Machop pounded his chest, ready to train.

"Dratini!" Dratini began to slither towards the pool.

"Now, you've all been here before, except Dratini," Kristine addressed. "Keep focusing on your moves and make them stronger. I'll go talk to Dratini. But first, come with me, Machop."

"Machop!" Machop complied, walking with Kristine to the center of the room as everyone else began their routine training.

"You're getting stronger by the day," Kristine commended. "What we need for you is some cover against what you're naturally weak to. Flying types, for instance."

"Machop!" Machop began punching the air with both fists, likely showing Kristine how confident he was in handling flying type pokemon.

"I think I know a good move for you," Kristine looked up towards the ceiling. "Give me some recommendations for Machop."

"Analyzing," the female voice of the AI responded. The voice seemed to come from all directions; Kristine couldn't pinpoint its location. "Machop. Current moves: Foresight, Vital Throw, Brick Break, Karate Chop."

Kristine rubbed her chin. "Could ditch Karate Chop. Brick Break is the same technique and it's more efficient overall. We could zap em out of the air."

"Would you like Machop to learn Thunder Punch?" the AI asked.

Kristine grinned. "Problem solved! Let's do it."

"Machop!" Machop assumed a fighting stance.

A projection that looked just like him appeared beside him.

"Thunder Punch," the AI explained as the digital projection demonstrated the move.

"Machop," Machop took mental notes, seeing how the projection harnessed electric energy to come up with a powerful strike.

It was hard for Kristine, or anyone for that matter, to fully understand how it could be possible for Pokémon to be able to access untapped energy like that. Many scientists and theorists have tried to explain the mysteries surrounding pokemon, but if Machop was able to learn Thunder Punch, then Kristine wasn't going to argue with the results.

As Machop learned how to harness and unleash the electric type move, Kristine walked over to Dratini.

"Dratini!" Dratini greeted her, swimming right up.

"Dratini," the AI addressed. "Moves: Wrap, Thunder Wave, Dragon Rage, Agility."

"So we're going to have you train today," Kristine said to Dratini. "You'll be fighting soon, I don't know when, but when the time comes, you'll be ready. And I'll make sure you're ready."

Kristine recalled the time Perry and his Machop, known as Chopper, used an unusual move set to help seal the victory over her and Machop in Richland Port. And that included the use of Flamethrower. Kristine was thinking more about type weakness coverage, and less on flashy moves for fun. Nonetheless, that battle opened many doors for her regarding strategy.

She crossed her arms with a smirk on her face. Dratini would learn to use Flamethrower. As for tonight's competition, she had a good idea on who to use.

* * *

Jason walked down the park, making sure his Pokémon were well conditioned and ready for the challenges to come. Jolteon bolted past Jason, working on his speed. _Look how far I've come,_ he thought.

Before his and his sister's journeys began, he thought speed was an overrated quality. It would do Jolteon injustice to think that now. But he knew with speed combined with power, Jolteon became the powerhouse of his team. While others aspired to be as swift and powerful as Jolteon someday, there was still a lot of work to be done.

Jason checked out the rest of his Pokémon, wondering who to choose for tonight's competition. He wanted to give someone the chance to hone and improve on their overall potential, and help give them the confidence they need to succeed in battle.

Kirlia continued to practice her dancing routines, Growlithe was rolling around in a pile of leaves courtesy of Rowlet's determined mastery of Leafage, and Magikarp was splashing around in the nearby lake. It was time to develop another pokemon in the spotlight. Growlithe and Rowlet weren't quite ready, Jason deduced. And for a ring with presumably lots of close quarters fighting, he figured Kirlia wouldn't have a whole lot of fun. There would be lots of dancing, indeed, but could she hold her own for a long while?

There were two more pokemon to consider for tonight. Magikarp had his turn in the spotlight, though, so Jason moved on to consider Riolu. He was away from the rest of the group, practicing his punches and fighting technique. Riolu played an important role in winning the Power Duo, Jason admitted. He might even be the most capable Pokémon of the entire team besides Jolteon.

After a moment of thoughtful consideration, Jason decided who to go with tonight.

"All the way," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

The sun began to set over Raley City. Trainers all over town began to gather in the north side, the district dedicated to them. Many had assembled in the Pokémon center. So many, in fact, one could not move without bumping into someone else. Jason and Kristine had never seen one this crowded before. They had just left their room, noticing that trainers were also gathering near the railings of the second and third floors overlooking the lobby.

"So many of them," Kristine observed, her voice nearly muffled by the noise accumulated from the dozens of trainers around and below her. "How many live here though?"

"How many won an actual badge?" Jason added. "Some look to be too young to travel on their own, and others probably do this as a hobby."

"Well, it's a local event after all," Kristine saw Jason's point. "Still, you can't take this lightly,"

"You got that right."

Liz walked up to the twins. "Is it obvious to point out that this thing is a little bit popular?"

Jason laughed. "Probably."

"So Jason and I are going to divide and conquer," Kristine mentioned. "You In?"

"Yep!" Liz nodded. "Let's show 'em what mountain kids are made of."

"Where should we go?" Jason asked.

"I go west, you two go east?" Liz suggested.

"Works for me," Jason lightly shrugged before facing his sister. "Sis?"

"I'll go south," Kristine declared.

"Longer run, but fewer people," Liz stated.

"Yeah, but the strategy is to come up with those points uncontested."

"If you say so."

"Where are the others?" Jason asked, referring to Julian, Amanda, and Bran.

"No idea," Liz shrugged.

Suddenly, the television screen in the lobby, which was on a local channel to begin with, showing a scripted address by Scarlet herself. Donning a buttoned red coat and black slim-fit pants, the Valor Gym Leader herself appeared in a weekly recorded announcement.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," she started off, her voice modulate and crisp. Her deep red lipstick, same colored subtle eye shadow, and short, jet black hair with a red streak going down the center right of her bangs complimented her overall confident look. "Another weekend night in beautiful Raley City, and you know what that means. It's another round of Rings of Valor."

"She has a good speaking voice," Liz observed.

"Here are the ground rules of this game," Scarlet continued. "There are six rings in each of the qualifying districts: Valor to the east, Arcade to the west, and Shopping to the south. Your goal, as a contender, is to hold any one ring for as long as you can. Choose your ring wisely. The longer your Pokémon can hold their own in that ring, the more points you receive.

"And remember: if you hold it alone, you accumulate points at a much faster rate. Don't forget if your pokemon is down and out, you will no longer accumulate points. The winner of tonight's competition will have the honor of challenging me tomorrow at eleven sharp at the Valor Gym. All you need to do is show up.

"Any other questions or concerns you may have, consult a Team Valor official standing near any ring. Now, before I send you back to regular programming, it's time to count down! Everyone ready?"

"Yeah!" Everyone in the pokemon center shouted, even though it was a recorded message addressing them.

"Here we go!" Scarlet began to count down, as did everyone as loudly as they could possibly be. "Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Fight with valor!"

Everyone scrambled to run out the pokemon center. Scarlet was still on television, likely making a closing statement, but it was largely ignored by the dozens of trainers creating a human traffic jam just trying to get out of the center.

"Some people live for this," Liz noticed.

"No kidding," Kristine agreed. She turned to where her brother was. Jason was already downstairs, trying to make his way to the first floor.

"More time you waste, the less points you make!" Liz quickly spoke before dashing away.

"You're right about that!" Kristine quickly followed suit.

* * *

Jason was the first of the three to make it out of the pokemon center. There were countless people sprinting south towards the other districts. He ran towards the southeast en route to the Valor District, trailing behind at least a couple dozen other contestants. He kept running and never stopped, and when he saw the roof of a dome several blocks away, he knew he entered the Valor District.

The next step was to find a ring. _What does one even look like?_ He figured the best way to locate one is to follow the competition. He followed a few trainers towards a round plaza surrounded by shops. The center of the plaza was big enough field a moderate sized battle ground. It wasn't as big as the official ones used in gym and tournament battles, but it was just like Jason originally envisioned.

Onlookers converged to witness the impending mayhem play out. Jason was at first hesitant, not sure what to expect or how this whole thing worked to begin with. He looked over to the right, gazing at a digital screen that seemed to appear from thin air. It was there to display the status of active trainers in that particular ring, the list being empty for the moment.

"Raticate, go!" a boy with a baseball cap on backwards called forth his pokemon.

"Rat!" the pokemon took to the center of the ring.

Jason saw the boy's name and Raticate appear on the screen. Points were rising; the boy by the name of Bobby was gaining 20 per second.

The trainers who planned to fight in this ring were all waiting for each other to make the next move. Meanwhile, Bobby was increasing his lead by the second. Jason wanted to put an end to that.

And he was happy with who he decided to bring to the competition. "Riolu! Let's go!" he tossed his pokeball.

"Rio!" Riolu stood in the ring, assuming a fighting stance before Raticate.

Jason appeared on the scoreboard. He and Bobby were sharing the points, gaining ten each by the second.

"Raticate, charge him and use Hyper Fang!" Bobby commanded.

"Raticate!" Raticate ran at Riolu.

"Jump over and use Brick Break!" Jason issued.

"Riolu!" Riolu ran at Raticate, conducting a front flip over his opponent.

Facing Raticate's back, Riolu delivered a swift and powerful blow, sending Raticate tumbling to the edge of the ring.

"Oh no! Raticate!" Bobby yelled in concern.

Raticate was slow to get up. Riolu had no interest in letting his guard down.

"It's our time! A teenage boy joined the fray. "Go Azumarill!"

"Azu!" Azumarill greeted.

"Use Aqua Jet on Riolu now!"

"Shadow Claw right quick!" Jason abruptly countered, thinking fast on his feet.

As Azumarill propelled himself towards Riolu, Raticate struck his side with Quick Attack. Riolu had Raticate to thank for thwarting Azumarill's attack. The resulting Shadow Claw landed a precise swipe across Azumarill. It went through Raticate as normal types were unaffected by ghost type moves.

"Brick Break Raticate again!" Jason followed up.

Riolu charged at Raticate, who was slow to move. He landed another direct hit to Raticate, who once again tumbled to the edge of the ring. This time, he did not get up.

"Oh man!" Bobby whined, recalling Raticate.

Azumarill looked weary yet ready to continue fighting Riolu. Suddenly, he took an electric shock from a new contender. Magnemite had entered the ring, its trainer intent on using Azumarill's weakness to his advantage. Magnemite's Thunder Shock had brought down the aqua rabbit, who was unable to continue.

"Brick Break!" Jason found a new target.

"Rio!" Riolu lunged at Magnemite.

"Magnemite! Protect!" Its trainer commanded.

Magnemite formed a protective shield in front of its body. Despite its attempt to block the attack, its trainer was unaware of Brick Break's significance in battle; the move's main function is to destroy barriers. Riolu shattered the protective shield, striking Magnemite directly and slamming it onto the floor. The super effective attack rendered the electric and steel Pokémon unable to continue after just one hit.

"Good job, Riolu!" Jason commended.

Three trainers down, many more to go.

"Rio!" Riolu assumed a fighting stance in the middle of the ring.

Two trainers, a boy and a girl, stepped forward a moment later. They called out Magmar and Breloom, respectively.

"Let's do it!" Jason said to Riolu.

"Riolu!" Riolu gave a nod before continuing his reign in the ring.

* * *

The night sky began to take hold over Raley City. As battles began to unfold east and west, Kristine made her way south, cutting through the Economy District. She passed by the towering buildings towards the Shopping District. The buildings here had white roofs, resembling the bottom half of a pokeball. There were many people out and about, browsing through shops, heading into the massive nearby mall, or dining at the finest restaurants Raley City has to offer. Kristine realized this was a district for the wealthy.

There weren't many other trainers here. Kristine figured the vast majority, like Jason and Liz, were in the other districts. She hoped that patience and strategic choice would pay off. But first of all, she needed to know what a ring looked like.

As she wandered around on a smooth stone path, passing by a few fine dining restaurants, she feared for a moment she may have been off course. She had the idea that there would be directions to the various rings throughout the city. That just wasn't the case.

She passed by a fountain. It seemed oddly placed, she thought, as it stood before a large circle where a two story restaurant curved around. A few people were leaning over the railings of the second floor, gazing below. There was also a man nearby wearing a red shirt with the sigil of a moltres, Team Valor's mascot, and black pants.

Then it hit her. Here was a ring, hers for the taking. Kristine approached the circle, receiving a couple cheers from the onlookers above.

"Okay," she took a deep breath, and pulled out her pokeball. "It's showtime, Machop!"

"Machop!" Machop assumed a fighting stance at the center of the ring.

Kristine saw the digital screen appear right before her eyes. It kept score of her progress, and it even detected Machop on the field.

A few moments passed. Kristine could hear battling going on from a distance past the restaurant.

"Shoot, if you go uncontested like that the whole night, you'd win by default!" an older man from the second floor laughed.

Kristine smirked at the comment. It was her plan, after all, to seize the objective as opposed to getting her hands dirty, as Jason and Liz did.

A challenger soon approached her.

"A machop, huh?" A boy slightly older than Kristine approached her with confidence. "Sorry, girl, but this ring is mine! Go, Wingull!"

"Gull!" Wingull greeted just as he was summoned. He took to the sky.

"Use Wing Attack on Machop!" the boy commanded.

"Machop, get ready!" Kristine responded.

"Chop!" Machop held his ground, anticipating Wingull's Wing Attack.

"Don't you know fighting types have no chance against flying types and their moves?" The boy laughed. "This ring is mine!"

Wingull closed in on Machop. Kristine waited until the last second to strike.

"Thunder Punch! Now!" She commanded.

"Ma!" Machop prepared his first, harnessing electric energy, before unleashing it upon Wingull. "Chop!"

"Wingull!" Wingull was zapped in mid air before he could even make contact. He crashed to the ground, unable to get up.

"What?" The boy seemed shocked by the turn of events. "Your machop knows Thunder Punch?"

Several onlookers cheered for Kristine and Machop.

"Hey, isn't that the girl who won last month's Power Duo with her brother?" one woman pointed out.

"Yeah, that is her!" A man replied.

"Oh, of course," the boy's face beamed red as he recalled Wingull. "I picked a spot where an actual trainer was. A good one, at that."

Kristine snickered. "Nice try, but I'm here to win and challenge Scarlet!"

Two more trainers, both girls, ran towards the ring a moment later. Machop prepared himself for what was to come.

"Go, Granbull!" one girl summoned.

"Slowbro, go!" The other called out.

The three pokemon circled around the ring, preparing for their trainers to issue attacks.

"Ready, Machop?" Kristine faced her Pokémon.

"Chop!" Machop nodded with confidence.

"Go and use Thunder Punch on Slowbro!"

* * *

Magmar crashed to the ground, unable to continue, following Riolu's Ghost Claw. Breloom went down moments ago due to a combination of Riolu's Ghost Claw and Magmar's Fire Punch.

"Rio!" Riolu maintained his fighting stance, facing the other trainers.

Jason was racking up points, and considering this was within a high traffic ring where five Pokémon had already go down, it was impressive. And the others knew it.

"Zebstrika! Go!" one boy called out.

"Lilteo, let's do it!" A girl summoned.

"Graveler, let's own this!" another boy released his Pokémon.

"Zebstrika, use Spark!" The first boy pointed at Riolu.

"Lilteo, use Ember on Riolu!" the girl commanded.

"Use Rock Throw on Zebstrika!" the second boy issued.

Zebstrika charged at Riolu while Lilteo released a ball of flame from her mouth. Graveler fired off a sizable rock at Zebstrika.

"Use Ghost Claw to stall Zebstrika!" Jason responded. "And Riolu, you can do this! Take Ember head on!"

"Rio!" Riolu complied, projecting Ghost Claw. The spectral swipe struck Zebstrika, tumbling her to the ground. Graveler's Rock Throw followed right after, rendering the Pokémon down and out.

Riolu then braved himself for Ember, taking it head on. As the smoke cleared, he simply smirked. Reversal became a viable move.

The two other trainers looked on. They were nervous, knowing what they could be dealing with. The opponent they faced was no local.

"Riolu, Don't stop!" Jason yelled.

* * *

Machop slammed Granbull to the ground with Vital Throw, having just taken a not very effective hit from Bite. Granbull was unable to get up. Slowbro had gone down moments ago, suffering two Thunder Punch attacks as well as Granbull's Bite.

More onlookers gathered to watch Kristine's dominance of the ring. As Machop once again achieved sole control of the ring, her points began to skyrocket.

For a brief moment, the digital scoreboard showed the top scorers across the city. Jason was number one, but gaining points at a slow rate. Liz wasn't far behind in fourth place, while Kristine was in 12th place and climbing. She managed to see Bran and Julian tied in 20th, and wondered where they could possibly be. Amanda was nowhere to be seen on the list.

Three more trainers soon converged on Kristine and Machop. "Fighting types, eh?" One boy smirked. "Lucky you picked the least crowded spot in the city. Crogunk, go!"

"Cro," Crogunk croaked, assuming a fighting stance before Machop.

"Doduo, let's do it!" A girl summoned her pokemon.

"Gothorita, target Machop!" A second girl called forth.

 _We're in a bit of a sticky situation here,_ Kristine thought.

"Doduo, run in and use Peck!" the first girl commanded.

"Do!" Doduo charged at Machop.

"Thunder Punch!" Kristine responded.

"Machop!" Machop charged electric energy to power the attack.

"Wait what?" the girl seemed startled. "Doduo, break off!"

Doduo complied, and bypassed Machop to avoid getting hit by Thunder Punch.

"Psybeam!" The second girl commanded to Gothorita.

"Gothorita!" Gothorita fired a powerful beam at Machop.

"Machop! Dodge!" Kristine yelled.

Machop jumped high into the air to avoid Psybeam. The colorful beam shot right underneath him. That was when Crogunk came from nowhere, leaping from the far side of the run and striking Machop directly with Poison Jab.

"Chop!" Machop grunted, taking a powerful hit as he slammed to the floor.

To make things worse, he was poisoned. The energy was being sapped from him, and Kristine knew that essentially guaranteed Machop's end at the ring.

If there was any solace to the situation, it would be Machop's special ability, Guts. The poisoned status triggered the ability, increasing his attack power immensely. Kristine knew what she had to do: follow her brother's playbook.

"Doduo! Run in with Fury Attack! Hit him while he's down!" The first girl wanted to seize the opportunity.

"Chop…" Machop slowly got up, a purple mist seeping from him.

* * *

"Pinsir! Go!"

"Take the ring, Furret!"

"You got this, Mr. Mime!"

"Come on out, Poliwrath!"

It seemed more pokemon were joining the fray by the second. Riolu held his own in the ring the entire time, but Jason feared he had chewed more than he could swallow. He had lost track of the amount of times he called for Shadow Claw and Brick Break, and he had to open the window for Reversal. Riolu was getting weary, seeing Pokémon go down left and right before him.

"Quick Attack, Furret!" the female trainer pointed at Riolu.

"Rio…" Riolu tried to catch his breath.

"Nice and easy, take the hit and use Reversal!"

Jason responded.

Riolu nodded. He grunted upon the direct hit from Furret, but did not give an inch. He responded with a swift strike of his right palm, sending Furret flying back.

"Buddy, they're gonna see us as big targets now!" Jason cautioned. "Hang in there!"

"Rio!" Riolu prepared himself for more attackers.

"Poliwrath!" a burly trainer spotted Riolu. "Get right in there and use Close Combat!"

"Close Combat!?" Jason seemed off guard. That was a move well seasoned Pokémon would know, after all.

"Poliwrath!" Poliwrath charged Riolu.

"Dodge it, Riolu!" Jason yelled.

Poliwrath closed in on Riolu, attempting to deliver swift strikes from his fists as well as his legs. Riolu jumped all over the place to avoid being hit. Jason admired the amount of effort Riolu was putting in to stay in the contest.

"Just keep using Close Combat!" the trainer ordered. "We can do this all day! Well, not really, you'll just wear yourself out after a few minutes, but I reckon young Riolu here won't last a few minutes!"

Jason knew the man was right. Riolu was getting worn out. It was time to ultilize the last trick up his sleeve. "Endure! Now!"

Riolu stopped moving. He braced himself, using a blue aura to help shield himself from Poliwrath's onslaught.

"Hehehe," the man faced Jason. "Sooner or later Endure will fade away. You had your fun but only one person gets to challenge Scarlet without having to wait, and I don't like waitin'!

* * *

"Now!" Kristine yelled.

"Ma-Chop!" Machop maintained his footing and got himself to an upright posture. This caught Doduo's trainer off guard.

"Doduo! No!" The trainer yelled, desperate to get Doduo to break away once more.

Machop didn't need a specific command to know what move to use. He harnessed electric energy with his right fist, and unleashed it upon Doduo. This sent the two headed flying type tumbling across the ring, knocked out in a single hit.

The crowd cheered for Kristine. Then many of them gasped.

"Nice going -" Kristine tried to commend her pokemon, but her next glance at him suddenly made her realize that she was never going to call him Machop again.

Machop glowed brighter than the moon that illuminated the night sky. His form grew, as his complexion. He was Machop no more. The glow ended, and Machoke came back into reality.

"Machoke!" the bulky Pokémon resumed his fighting stance, his voice deep and assertive.

The crowed roared in applause for Kristine and Machoke. Kristine felt tears building up in her eyes, feeling that sense of accomplishment when something she worked tirelessly for paid off.

The alerted trainers set their sights on Machoke. An elekid, venomoth, and lairon soon joined the fight.

"You ready, Machoke?" Kristine faced him.

Machoke's poison triggered once more, but this time, it was as if he didn't feel a thing. He pounded his chest. "Machoke!" he spoke with confidence.

* * *

"It's all over for you, son!" The burly trainer nearly cackled.

"Yeah?" Jason smirked. He faced Riolu, with Poliwrath still pummeling him, the blue aura being the only thing keeping him up.

"Reversal! Now!" Jason issued.

"Rio!" Riolu ended his aura, ducked beneath Poliwrath's punches, and delivered a devastating palm strike at at the center of his stomach. "Lu!"

Poliwrath abruptly stopped. He just stood there, as Riolu sidestepped and walked past him. Seconds later, Poliwrath fell on his knees before falling flat on his stomach.

"What in the name of all things holy just happened!?" the man was dumbfounded.

"Name's Jason Kyar," Jason faced the man. "And this is my partner Riolu. And we're here to win this thing."

"Rio," Riolu approached the other Pokémon. Literally any direct hit, maybe even a strafing hit, would knock him out, but he was determined to fight to the bitter end.

"You must be no older than a tween!" The man still seemed absolutely shocked.

"Recall your pokemon, man!" another man yelled. "Your pokemon needs to rest!"

The burly man sighed, and recalled is pokemon.

Riolu faced an array of opponents before him.

"It's just one more hit!" Mr. Mime's trainer noticed.

The other trainers focused on Riolu.

"Us against the world, Riolu!" Jason yelled. "Let's do this!"

Riolu leaped into the air at his opponents, preparing to use Shadow Claw.

* * *

"Machoke!" Machoke slammed Crogunk to the ground with a one-armed Vital Throw. With Elekid right behind him about to use Thunder Punch, Machoke quickly turned around to match it with his own Thunder Punch. Pushing Elekid back, the trainer desperately called for Protect. Elekid did just that, creating a barrier in order to shield himself and maintain his ground. A swift and powerful Brick Break ended that hope.

Lairon charged at Machoke's right flank with Take Down. Machoke stepped to the side and managed to pick up the sturdy pokemon with his own two hands before tossing him to the other side of the ring. A Psybeam shot Venomoth right out of the sky, meaning the only other Pokémon in the ring was Gothorita.

Gothorita fired another Psybeam at Machoke. Machoke ducked, enduring another tick from his poison in the process. He kept his head down, using Foresight to target his opponent. A swift, decisive blow would be the only way to prevail.

"Go!" Kristine saw the window of opportunity.

Machoke bolted as soon as Gothorita stopped firing. She began to recharge at the command of her trainer.

"Machoke!" Machoke sprinted at Gothorita head on, charging his fists once more.

"Gothorita! Psybeam! Now!" the female trainer desperately called.

"Hit her with everything you got!" Kristine yelled.

Machoke got to Gothorita before she could fire off another Psybeam. With a powerful Thunder Punch, Gothorita collapsed to the ground.

The stunned trainers recalled their pokemon. Machoke was the only one standing.

Another round of applause from the onlookers ensued. Kristine and Machoke stood triumphant with no incoming trainers. The points were adding up as she began to pass others in the leaderboard.

* * *

Pinsir tumbled across the ring after a direct hit from Riolu's Reversal. A floatzel that was added into the fray so late used Aqua Jet to propel himself towards Riolu. Riolu used Shadow Claw to knock him to the ground. Floatzel was then struck by a gloom's Razor Leaf, rendering him down and out.

Gloom faced Riolu. Just as Gloom's trainer issued another barrage of leaves, Gloom floated into the air before being slammed back to the ground against his will. Gloom was out for the count due to Mr. Mime's Confusion.

"Mime mine!" Mr. Mime faced Riolu.

"Shadow Claw!" Jason called.

"Rio!" Riolu ran towards Mr. Mime and began to project a spectral claw.

"Mr. Mime! Use Protect!" the trainer yelled.

Mr. Mime used Protect to shield himself from Riolu's Shadow Claw.

"Now!" Jason yelled.

Riolu knew what Jason meant. He continued charging at Mr. Mime before he could react. Riolu closed in, using his palm as a forceful weapon to strike Mr. Mime. Being both a psychic and fairy type, Mr. Mime didn't feel the impact other opponents had before him. Still, this caught him off balance.

"Shadow Claw!" Jason followed up.

Riolu managed to gather the strength to unleash one more Shadow Claw. It struck Mr. Mime, knocking him down once and for all.

And thank goodness for that. Jason knew that was essentially all Riolu had left in the tank.

"Rio…" Riolu fell on one knee. The AI still rendered him active as Jason accumulated the points.

A moment later, a foghorn sounded. It came from the nearby Team Valor attendant. Everyone began to applaud Jason and Riolu, commending their efforts.

"It's over?" Jason seemed confused. "Man, I can't believe we did it!"

"Rio!" Riolu tried to catch his breath.

The digital scoreboard began to tally everyone's scores. For the dramatic effect, it gave a countdown from five seconds, making the announcement that much more suspenseful.

Jason looked at the scoreboard as it counted down. He knew he had to be number one. But if it wasn't him, it had to be Kristine, or even Liz.

* * *

Kristine and Machoke looked at the scoreboard as it counted down. The onlookers counted it down loudly, all convinced she had won the contest. It certainly felt like she did.

Suddenly, Machoke collapsed to the floor, unable to take any more of the poison inflicted on him. Kristine immediately recalled him. "You did great out there. I'm proud of you. Get some rest.

The final score was revealed. A delayed reaction to process the information ensued. And, at great disappointment, her name came second on the list.

The audience groaned at the results.

"Second…" Kristine seemed disappointed. But she had a mix of feelings considering who came first. Her brother had won the competition. Still, she couldn't help but feel snubbed. She and Machoke had given everything they got, and they prevailed. Yet, in her view, they had nothing to show for it.

* * *

"Yeah!" Jason threw both his fists in the air. Everyone who was defeated didn't quite feel so bad after all, knowing they lost to the winner of the entire competition.

Jason glanced further down the leaderboard to see if any familiar faces appeared. Liz finished in fifth place, while Bran and Julian tied in ninth. He wondered how that was possible. Amanda was still nowhere to be seen on the list.

It came down to whoever held a single ring the longest. As Jason noticed Kristine was behind him by not very much, he knew if Riolu didn't hold out as long as he did, his sister would have won instead. It seemed her strategy of traveling further for fewer trainers would have paid off if only it weren't for her brother.

He glanced over to the Team Valor representative, who simply nodded at him in acknowledgement. He knew what to do; he had to prepare for tomorrow's match with Scarlet. And he knew she was going to be no pushover.

* * *

 **Update on Jason and Kristine's teams:**

 **Jason's team:**

 **Jolteon: Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Pin Missile, Agility. Special Ability: Volt Absorb**

 **Kirlia: Future Sight, Protect, Heal Pulse, Confusion. Special Ability: Synchronize**

 **Riolu: Brick Break, Endure, Reversal, Shadow Claw. Special Ability: Inner Focus**

 **Magikarp: Splash, Tackle, Flail, Bounce. Special Ability: Swift Swim**

 **Growlithe:** **Fire Fang, Takedown, Flame Burst, Protect. Special Ability: Flash Fire**

 **Rowlet: Leafage, Peck, Ominous Wind, Synthesis. Special Ability: Overgrow**

 **Kristine's team:**

 **Espeon: Psybeam, Calm Mind, Reflect, Swift. Special Ability: Magic Bounce**

 **Fletchinder: Flame Charge, Razor Wind, Aerial Ace, Agility. Special Ability: Gale Wings**

 **Pikachu: Spark, Light Screen, Electro Ball, Double Team. Special Ability: Static**

 **Machoke: Foresight, Thunder Punch, Vital Throw, Brick Break. Special Ability: Guts**

 **Snorunt: Protect, Double Team, Icy Wind, Bite. Special Ability: Ice Body**

 **Dratini: Flamethrower, Thunder Wave, Dragon Rage, Agility. Special Ability: Shed Skin**


	37. Fight with Valor! Part I

Trainers began to disperse from the rings throughout the city. Jason received many pats on the back from the effort he and Riolu put in. Even the burly trainer came up to him, practically whacking the back of his shoulder so hard he almost fell.

"That was a mighty fine show!" the trainer commended. "And you're just a kid too! The world will be yours someday!"

"Thanks," Jason lightly chuckled, somewhat uncomfortable. Thankfully, the trainer simply went on his way.

Jason began making his way back to the pokemon center. He realized a lot of participants were heading back to the suburbs, in the outskirts of Raley City. Good news for him; the pokemon center was going to be much less crowded than before.

He headed back to the pokemon center, figuring he'd be the first between him and Kristine to arrive. He received several more commendations from trainers hanging out in the lobby. His face appeared on the television screen from the local channel, congratulating him on his victory in the competition.

The amount of attention he was getting started to get overwhelming. He retreated to his and his sister's room on the third floor, embracing the peace and quiet.

"Man," Jason sighed. He then laughed. "That was crazy."

It wasn't too long before Kristine arrived. By then, Jason was already in his pajamas.

"Oh hey," Kristine seemed slightly surprised. "I thought you'd be downstairs."

"Got a little overwhelmed," Jason chuckled.

"Yeah? Probably a lot going on in the ring you were just in, huh?"

"Yeah. Riolu was amazing out there. We've taken our opponents left and right, and it was awesome!"

Kristine smiled. "Grats, bro."

Jason could sense some sort of sadness behind that smile. He knew his sister well, after all. "You were really close, by a matter of seconds."

"Yeah," Kristine sighed. "I don't want to take your victory from you, but Machop evolved while we were battling. He lasted until the horn blew, and we were the only ones standing in the ring. I've felt something that I don't think I've felt before. And, I don't know, I really don't want to get in your way."

"I understand," Jason smiled. "You did everything right. Just don't beat yourself up over it. You did your best and you know it."

"Thanks," Kristine seemed to perk up. "Just wish there was more of a reward system, you know?"

Jason remained silent. He believed Kristine knew of the harsh reality, that sometimes life just didn't work like that. Perhaps it was just frustration over her hard work going unnoticed.

"I guess l'll go change," Kristine proceeded to the restroom.

"Hey," Jason caught her attention before she closed the door.

"Yeah?" She faced him.

"It was your heart. What you felt was that thrill in the heat of the moment, just you and Machoke. No strategy, no plan, just your heart."

Kristine gave a nod at him with a smile, and closed the door.

"She'll understand," Jason stretched his arms. He began to mentally prepare himself for the morning. He figured he would bring his three strongest, most battle-ready pokemon. He knew little about Scarlet, but she looked like one tough opponent to beat.

* * *

The next morning, Jason shot right out of bed, and changed out of Kristine's line of sight even while she was sound asleep. Putting on his gear, he began to buckle his pokeball belt just as Kristine woke up.

"Ready so soon?" she rubbed her eyes, looking at the digital clock next to her. "You battle in four hours."

"Doing some last second checkups," Jason held Riolu's pokeball before reattaching it to his belt. "And getting an early breakfast. You want anything?"

"Muffins would be good," Kristine leaned upwards.

"Gotcha," Jason headed out the door.

He proceeded downstairs to the first floor, walking up to Nurse Joy's desk.

"I'd like to check up on Riolu," Jason handed her Riolu's pokeball. "I just want to make sure he's battle ready for today's gym battle."

"Certainly," Nurse Joy nodded. "Should take a few minutes."

"Hey Jason!" Jason heard Amanda right behind him.

"Hey Amanda!" Jason turned around. "Did you compete last night?"

"Eh, kind of?" Amanda lightly laughed.

"Amanda, I checked Tyrogue not too long ago," Nurse Joy informed her. "He will be fully ready to go in no time!"

"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy!" Amanda grinned.

"Tyrogue, huh?" Jason seemed intrigued.

"There was this stray tyrogue at one of the rings in the Shopping District," Amanda explained. "I was the first one there, and the girl who showed up like a second later thought Tyrogue was mine. More trainers came in thinking he was mine, and I didn't like how they ganged up on him. So we worked together and beat them!"

"I see," Jason laughed.

"Yep! Then they all got confused when I wasn't racking up points. Afterwards, Tyrogue wanted to join forces with my team. Crazy how things work out, huh?"

"That's for sure, congrats!" Jason commended, but then he became curious. "Just how long have you held down the ring?"

"The whole time!" Amanda boasted.

It occurred to Jason that Amanda could have won the competition, or come really close to winning, if she had Tyrogue officially registered with her team.

Nurse Joy, running Riolu's pokeball through a scanning machine, handed it back to Jason a moment later. "Here you go! Riolu is in perfect fighting condition, good for today's match against Scarlet."

"Thanks!" Jason took the pokeball back.

"Good luck against Scarlet!" Amanda smiled.

"Thanks," Jason gave a nod.

Jason walked over to the confidential breakfast table to grab a giant plate full of bagels, toast, muffins, waffles, and fruit. He headed back upstairs to find his sister already in her full gear.

"Hey," she acknowledged. Then she noticed the plate. "All I asked for were muffins."

"Yeah but everything looked so good!" Jason playfully defended.

"You're not gonna try to eat all of that, are you?"

"Maybe."

"What are you gonna do, burn the calories in today's battle?"

"Well, if I'm allowed to run around too, that would be a possibility. Besides, not all of it is for me. Figured we'd split it, if anything."

"Thank you for bringing it," Kristine at least wanted to show her gratitude for Jason's effort, even if it was excessive. "Just keep in mind, anything we don't eat just goes to waste."

"You won't need to worry about that!" Jason assured her of his confidence in his appetite.

And sure enough, the plate was cleaned off a short while later. Jason had most of the food though. Kristine, who only had two muffins, half a waffle, and some fruit. while commendable in its own merit, was mesmerized by Jason's bottomless pit for a stomach.

"Mom warned me you'd eat more," She mentioned. "But to see it with my own eyes. I guess a growing boy's gotta eat."

"I'm hungry," Jason replied.

"You can't possibly be hungry."

"But I am."

Kristine noticed he was being serious. She didn't know how to respond to that. "And you're gonna be going through this for the next few years? We're not even teens yet."

"Don't we turn 13 in like a couple months?"

Kristine used her head to do the math. "Six weeks!"

"There you go. Six weeks until we're teens."

Kristine sighed. "Gotta love growing up."

* * *

Jason and Kristine headed out of the pokemon center a while later, en route to the Team Valor Gym. They entered the Valor District with the dome structure in sight. Passing by the plaza where Jason and Riolu's triumphant stand took place, they ventured deeper into the district, passing by novelty and clothing stores. There were digital displays of Team Valor on the side of almost every building, from the sigil of a moltres to Scarlet herself. Some were still images, while others were vibrant, sometimes rotating images.

"Here we go," Jason said, gazing at an image of Scarlet. He was convinced she was staring right back at him, even as he moved by the image.

"She's one of the tougher gym leaders of Inventum," Kristine mentioned.

"Sure looks like it," Jason had a confident look. "She may be tough, but if we're to win, we need to be tougher."

The twins approached the Valor City Gym. The dome structure was much like the ones in Fort Lexing and Richland Port, only this one was painted white with a red dome. They entered through the sliding glass doors and into the atrium. A bronze statue of a moltres in ascending flight stood before them. It had to be at least ten feet tall with a wingspan more than twice that length.

Jason and Kristine admired the beauty of the statue, walking past it toward the double door to the battle field itself. One man, a Team Valor representative with a black shirt with the Valor enigma and same colored cargo pants, stood guard at the doors.

"Jason Kyar?" He faced Jason.

"That's me," Jason nodded.

The man opened Jason's left side of the double door before turning his head towards Kristine. "Scarlet only wants Jason. But feel free to browse the rest of the gym."

"Splitting us up, huh?" Kristine muttered. She looked at her brother, patting him on the shoulder. "You got this."

"Thanks," Jason smiled with a confident look on his face. "See you in a bit."

Jason proceeded through the open door into the field. The field itself was covered in red dirt, and Jason could look up to see the massive sigil of a moltres embedded across the ceiling. Across from him was a scoreboard, already displaying his face and Scarlet's on opposing sides. And standing at the center of the field was no one other than the Gym Leader herself.

As Jason gazed around, he noticed enough stands to seat at least several hundred people. There were a handful of Team Valor representatives that came to spectate the battle, but he knew Scarlet wanted to keep this one mostly private, having kept Kristine away from cheering her brother on.

Scarlet stood there, sporting an open white jacket with a black t-shirt displaying Valor's sigil, her hands in the pockets of her black slim fit pants.

"Jason Kyar, you're five minutes early," She addressed. "Come here for a sec."

Jason approached the center of the field, the soles of his shoes contracting the red dirt. He stood before Scarlet, who was only a few inches taller than him.

"I've heard about you and your sister well before the playful jab your friend put out there," she snickered, twirling the tip of the red streak in her hair with one finger. "It's kind of humorous how we've covered it. Two kids coming from the middle of nowhere and running rampant down the coast. No one appears from thin air. Everyone has a story, and yours is admirable."

"Thank you, Scarlet," Jason gave a slight nod.

"However, I must apologize," Scarlet continued.

"I think Kristine will understand," Jason assumed that was what the apology was for.

Scarlet scoffed lightly. "No. I apologize that my colleagues and counterparts did not challenge you enough, if at all."

"What do you mean?" Jason seemed confused.

"Your Jolteon underwent his evolution from Eevee before fighting Aria, right?" Scarlet explained. The whole 'bring out the mystic potential in your pokemon' thing has nothing to do with the art of a pokemon battle. Justin challenged you and your sister to a double battle knowing his wonderful wife wasn't much of a battler herself. And Meeks, bless that man, but what on earth was he thinking?"

"How did you know?" Jason was confused as to how Scarlet knew about Meeks giving him and Kristine the Power Badge following their victory in the Power Duo.

"It's easy to figure out," Scarlet tapped the side of her head. "You won the thing and the Power Badge gets registered to your profile the next morning."

"Each badge was a challenge of its own," Jason defended.

Scarlet smirked. "Then as your fourth Gym Leader, it is my duty to be the most challenging yet. You ready?"

"Always ready," Jason had that determined look on his face.

A referee stepped to Jason's left, standing on a platform that rose to an elevation of about ten feet, giving him a clear view of the field. Jason wondered why the referee needed an elevated view.

"I think you'll like this field," Scarlet maintained her smirk as she walked to her side of the field. "Just remember to stay within the white lines."

Jason wondered what Scarlet meant by that. Approaching his side of the field, he saw why, and it was a simple explanation. The trainer's box wasn't just an ordinary box, but a backwards L-shaped boundary that branched off from the trainer's right hand side of the field and extended roughly halfway down. This allowed for more movement and interaction on the trainer's part.

"Today's battle consists of the winner of last night's Rings of Valor, Jason Kyar, and Team Valor Inventum Branch Lead and Raley City Gym Leader, Scarlet!"

A light round of cheers and applause ensued.

"This is a standard three versus three," the referee continued. "First team to knock out all three of the opponent's team wins. Standard rules apply. The Gym Leader makes the first call, the trainer makes the first move. Ready?"

"Ready!" Jason and Scarlet shouted at the same time.

"Then let the battle begin!"

"Oh I was looking forward to this!" Scarlet primed her first pokeball. "I want to see Jason Kyar in action! Fight with valor, Swellow!"

"Swellow!" Scarlet's pokemon greeted, using its wings to hover off the ground.

This instantly reminded Jason of his companion. He began to miss his swellow once more, knowing how much help she could be in this match. But regardless, he needed to move on. He had to see this as a form of test, assuming that Scarlet knew everything about him.

"Swellow are energetic, loyal, fearless," Jason began to prime his first pokeball. "Even with my first pick, I don't expect a pushover. Let's go, Jolteon!"

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked, facing Swellow.

"Bring it!" Scarlet mentally braced for the initial assault.

"Use Agility!" Jason commanded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon ran around the field, making one full lap has he increased his speed over time. He began to make a second lap as Scarlet made her move.

"Swellow, you too!" she called.

"Swellow!" Swellow flew around the field in the opposite direction as Jolteon.

"Thunder Shock!" Jason followed up.

"Jolt!" Jolteon fired a quick bolt across the field. Swellow narrowly dodged it, the shock going right over him.

"Double Team!" Scarlet responded.

Swellow projected more than a dozen copies of himself, all flying in formation.

"Quick!" Jason ran up the extension of his boundary, pointing at the mirage formation. "Pin Missile all of them!"

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired off a large volley of pins, striking through the projections left and right.

"Quick Attack!" Scarlet quickly issued.

Out of the mirage formation came the real opponent, soaring right to Jolteon. Swellow's Quick Attack came without warning, nor did Jason have enough time to issue a response. Swellow struck Jolteon head on, sliding him back several feet. Swellow returned to flight.

"You all right, buddy?" Jason asked, his companion merely several feet from him.

"Jolt!" Jolteon assured him he was ready to continue.

"Keep the attack going! Pin Missile!"

Jolteon fired off another barrage of pins at Swellow.

"Double Team again, and follow up with Agility!" Scarlet responded.

Swellow projected more copies of himself, this time appearing all around Jolteon due to the impressive speed coming from two uses of Agility.

 _Scarlet will use Swellow's speed as an advantage,_ Jason thought. _If I can somehow bottleneck him in, oh yeah, Kristine would love this._

"Pin Missile the entire field except in front of you!" Jason commanded.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon continued his barrage, firing pins off virtually everywhere.

Scarlet ran into her extension of the field, observing the pins as they took out projection after projection. She found an opening that Jolteon left alone. "Get in here and use Quick Attack!"

"Wild Charge! Now!" Jason yelled.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon harnessed electric energy, charging at the open gap just as Swellow swooped down to attack.

"Swellow! Break away!" Scarlet yelled, surprised to be lured into such a trap.

But it was too late for Swellow. Jolteon lunged at him, striking him with devastating force. The electric attack rendered it super effective against Swellow, throwing him back. He was unable to recover, tumbling until he was within just a few feet shy of Scarlet.

A round of applause ensued, showing admiration for Jason's unexpectedly witty move.

"Swellow is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Jolteon wins!"

"Yeah!" Jason jumped once in the air. "Good going, Jolteon!"

"Return, Swellow. Nice effort," Scarlet recalled her pokemon. "Very impressive to say the least, Jason."

"I took a page from my sister's playbook," Jason replied.

"You know why I separated you two?" Scarlet primed her second pokeball.

"Something about individual strength?"

"There will come a time where you will be fully independent from one another. Strength comes from the individual and the individual alone. Your bond is admirable, even cute. To be the best, you must draw your potential from within. I see you fight with heart and with wits. I don't want you to let that go for a second!"

Scarlet threw her second pokeball. "Hitmonlee, your turn!"

"Hit!" Hitmonlee took a fighting stance, conducting warm-up kicks before Jolteon.

Jason knew he had to play it safe and smart. Jolteon took a powerful Quick Attack as well as recoil damage from Wild Charge. Jolteon was an all out speedy attacker, not a beefy endurance pokemon, after all. He decided to make the executive decision and recall Jolteon.

"Return, Jolteon!" Jason beamed him into the pokeball. "Recoup and standby."

He ran back to his far side of the field, pulling out his second pokeball. "Kirlia! Let's go!"

"Kirlia!" Kirlia greeted gracefully.

"Playing to type advantage, huh?" Scarlet smirked. "Let's see how all that works out for you."

The referee signaled for Hitmonlee to make the first move.

"Focus energy!" Scarlet called. "If we're gonna hit, we're gonna hit hard. Her being psychic and fairy is gonna be like kicking the side of the building!"

"Hitmonlee!" Hitmonlee pumped himself up.

"Future Sight!" Jason responded.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia's eyes glowed white.

Jason began to hear the roaring cheers of thousands of people following Kirlia's Future Sight.

"Rolling Kick! Now!" Scarlet called.

"Hit!" Hitmonlee charged at Kirlia.

 _Confusion!_ Jason communicated telepathically to Kirlia.

 _I'll try!_ Kirlia responded, reaching out with her hands to get a hold of Hitmonlee through psychic energy.

Hitmonlee, having experience in dealing with psychic moves, closed his eyes before conducting a 360 degree spin followed by a swift kick to Kirlia's side.

Kirlia whimpered, stepping back a few paces.

 _Protect!_ Jason issued.

Kirlia formed a protective shield in front of herself.

"Brick Break!" Scarlet countered.

"Hitmon!" Hitmonlee hammered down with his fist, shattering Protect and dealing Kirlia another blow. This one knocked her to the ground.

 _You got this!_ Jason encouraged.

 _He's too aggressive!_ Kirlia got up, but appeared to be dismayed by Hitmonlee's prowess.

"Rolling Kick one more time!" Scarlet followed up.

"Hit!" Hitmonlee began to spin around, ready to conduct another kick.

 _That's it!_ Kirlia had an idea.

Just as Hitmonlee spun around, Kirlia did the same in the opposite direction. As Hitmonlee was using instinct over sight to land his kicks, he was surprised when he extended his leg into thin air. It almost caught him off balance.

 _Confusion! Now!_ Jason commanded.

Kirlia manifested psychic energy. Hitmonlee's eyes became purple as he was thrown into the air.

 _Here comes Future Sight!_ Kirlia advised.

 _Throw everything at him!_ Jason wanted Kirlia to go completely on the offensive.

As powerful energy began to manifest high above, Kirlia used telekinetic energy to slam Hitmonlee to the ground directly underneath it. Then came the energy as it shot down on Hitmonlee, causing an explosion. As the smoke cleared, it became apparent that Hitmonlee was unable to withstand both a super effective attack as well as a powerful one.

"Hitmonlee is unable to battle!" the referee called. "Kirlia wins!"

"Backed against the wall, eh?" Scarlet recalled Hitmonlee. "You did well, Hitmonlee."

She took off her jacket and pulled out her final pokeball. "You better not show mercy, Jason! Go, Flareon!"

"Flareon!" The fire evolution of eevee howled.

"Return, Kirlia!" Jason fully came back into reality, his connection with Kirlia severed for the moment and the sound of thousands of fans reduced to just a handful of spectators. "You did great. Standby."

Jason readied his third pokeball. "Let's go, Riolu!"

"Rio!" Riolu beamed out, preparing himself against Flareon.

"Ah, the winner of the competition himself," Scarlet observed Riolu. "Okay, Flareon, get ready! Fire Spin!"

"Flar!" Flareon fired a stream of flames that encircled Riolu like a tornado.

Jason could feel the heat from the flames. "Hang in there, Riolu!"

"Rio!" Riolu tried to maintain his focus on Flareon.

"Run in there and use Fire Fang!" Scarlet followed up.

Flareon charged at Riolu.

"Focus and swipe Flareon with Ghost Claw!" Jason issued.

"Riolu!" Riolu projected a spectral claw, keeping a keen eye on Flareon through the flames, striking knocking him to the ground.

As a Flareon got up, the flames soon began to burden Riolu.

"Roll out of the flames!" Jason commanded.

Riolu did just that, conducting a duck-and-roll in an attempt to escape Fire Spin.

"Take Down! Now!" Scarlet responded.

Flareon charged at Riolu once more.

"Use Brick Break!" Jason called.

"Rio!" Riolu prepared to strike Flareon head on.

Flareon pounced on Riolu with such force, striking him before he could counter attack. Riolu tumbled across the arena, slow to get up.

"Riolu!" Jason ran down the extension of his box once more.

"Rio…" Riolu shook off the impact.

"Fire Spin again!" Scarlet continued her attack.

"Flareon!" Flareon engulfed Riolu in a fiery tornado once more.

"Run in and use Fire Fang one more time!" Scarlet ordered.

Flareon charged at Riolu once again.

"Get ready and use Reversal once he closes in!" Jason yelled.

"Rio!" Riolu braced himself.

Flareon pounced through the flames, ready to chomp down on Riolu.

"Now!" Jason initiated a potentially devastating blow.

"Protect!" Scarlet abruptly called.

"Rio!" Riolu landed his palm strike at the center of Flareon's chest, only to be blocked completely by Protect.

"Brick Break!" Jason quickly issued.

"Dodge it!" Scarlet responded.

Flareon jumped to the side following Riolu's Brick Break.

Knowing Riolu was taking more damage from Fire Spin, Scarlet wanted to go in for the knockout. "Fire Fang!"

"Flar!" Flareon lunged at Riolu.

"Riolu! Endure!" Jason yelled.

Riolu shielded himself, surviving the impact of Fire Fang. Jason knew he only had seconds left in the fight. With Fire Spin engulfing Riolu, he wouldn't have much time left until he was knocked out of the battle.

"Reversal! Now!" he desperately shouted.

"Rio!" Riolu stepped forward. But the flames became too much for him. He tumbled and fell to the ground, unable to continue.

"Riolu is unable to battle!" the referee declared.

Jason recalled Riolu. "You did good. We'll take this from here."

He began to prime Jolteon's pokeball.

"You of all trainers should know what to expect when you pin your opponent against the wall," Scarlet crossed her arms.

"I never thought this was gonna be easy!" Jason maintained his determined look. He returned to his far side of the field. Jolteon and Kirlia had each taken hits. He knew if he let his guard down, Scarlet will make him pay dearly for it.

"You got this, Jolteon, Jason threw his pokeball.

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked.

Flareon and Jolteon looked towards each other.

"Flareon was an eevee for years before I gave him a fire stone," Scarlet mentioned. "All that time training as the so-called underdog prepared him for the valiant attacker he is today."

"That's a good way to challenge your pokemon," Jason responded. "But I should tell you Jolteon's evolution was his choice and no one else's. We've gone through our own challenges and none of them have been easy. You're definitely not easy, and we're definitely not going to sleep right now."

"Jolt!" Jolteon barked in agreement.

"Make your move, Jason," Scarlet gave a nod. "Get ready, Flareon!"

"Flareon!" Flareon complied.

"Jolteon, use Thunder Shock on Flareon!" Jason ordered.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired off a bolt of lightning at Flareon.

"Use Protect, and follow up with Fire Fang!" Scarlet responded.

Flareon jumped forward, forming a barrier that would absorb the impact from Thunder Shock. He then continued racing towards Jolteon, preparing to strike.

"Use Agility to get away from Flareon!" Jason yelled.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon dashed from Flareon's attack.

"Trap him with Fire Spin!" Scarlet called.

Jason ran down the box's extension, parallel to Jolteon. "Sling back with Wild Charge and hit him with everything you have!"

Flareon began to spit out a stream of flames in an attempt to trap Jolteon. Jolteon, however, used electric energy to lunge himself with incredible speed at Flareon.

"Change of plans! Protect!" Scarlet abruptly responded.

Flareon stepped forward, managing to form a protective barrier just as Jolteon delivered his full might. His body crashed against the barrier, electric currents rippling around it.

"Fire Fang!" Scarlet pointed at Jolteon.

Flareon lunged in and manage to clamp down on Jolteon's chest with flames, before pushing him back with his front paws. Jolteon tumbled but managed to get back up.

"Hang in there, Jolteon!" Jason yelled.

"Encircle Jolteon with Fire Spin!" Scarlet commanded.

Flareon began another attempt to stream a flaming tornado around Jolteon.

"Thunder Shock! Quickly!" Jason knew he couldn't afford having Jolteon trapped in Fire Spin. He wasn't going to let himself be the recipient of an opponent's epic comeback.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon zapped Flareon with such a quick bolt that it caught Flareon off guard.

"Harass him with Pin Missile!" Jason followed up.

"Run through and use Take Down!" Scarlet reacted.

Flareon sprinted forward as the pins flew over him. He then lunged from a great distance straight at Jolteon.

"Dodge it!" Jason yelled.

Jolteon ducked and dashed to his right with Flareon jumping right over him.

"Thunder Shock!" Jason issued.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon unleashed a bolt that struck Flareon once more.

"Flar!" Flareon yelped.

Both Pokémon had taken multiple hits at this point. Although Jolteon had a few moments of rest between his fights against Swellow and Flareon, he was feeling fatigued. One more big hit delivered to him, and Jason would be seeing himself using Kirlia to save the day. He believed Kirlia would be up to the task, but at the same time, he had no interest in letting the battle get to that point.

"Short distance Pin Missile! Keep him occupied!" Jason ordered.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon fired pins directly at Flareon.

"Use Protect!" Scarlet responded. She knew Flareon could withstand the not-so-effective attack, but she thought she could be playing into Jason's cards if she had not.

As it turned out, she was anyways.

"Run back and sling forward with Wild Charge!" Jason called out. "Let's end this!"

Flareon used his barrier to deflect pins. By then, Jolteon was already preparing to lung at him with electrical force. Scarlet knew Flareon couldn't project another barrier so soon. No, the only way to stay in it was to fight Wild Charge head on.

"Take Down! Let's do it!" Scarlet tightened her fists.

"Flareon!" Flareon lunged at Jolteon's electrical charge.

"Right here, right now, Jolteon!" Jason yelled in the heat of the moment.

"Use everything you got!" Scarlet yelled, clearly living for this moment.

The two collided, resulting in a massive explosion. Jason had Kirlia as insurance, but Scarlet put all of her cards on the table. The smoke cleared, with both Jason and Scarlet on edge.

Jolteon and Flareon were both out cold, neither of them making an effort to get back up.

"Jolteon and Flareon are unable to battle!" the referee announced. "With Jason having Kirlia in reserve and Scarlet with no more pokemon, Jason is the winner!"

"Yeah!" Jason threw both his fists in the air in celebration. He then recalled Jolteon. "Good work out there. You deserve the rest."

"You too, Flareon," Scarlet recalled her companion. She then faced Jason. "Well done. You fight with nobility!"

"It wasn't easy," Jason caught his breath, feeling fatigued from the intense stand that Scarlet pulled.

Scarlet grabbed her jacket and approached Jason. "You didn't pass with flying colors, but a win is a win, and you dug a hole too deep for me to climb out of."

"You had me worried there for a minute!" Jason laughed.

"Remember," Scarlet walked up to Jason, putting her hand over his shoulder. "Never let your guard down for a second. If you are good at catching opponents off guard, then it can happen to you too. There are many cocky and timid trainers out there. Don't end up becoming one of them."

"I won't," Jason assured her.

Scarlet smirked. "Good. One more thing. Always pay attention to each member of your team. No one pokemon can carry the day all the time. It's everyone's unique individual strength that solidifies the core of your team. If Jolteon can't step up one day, who will? Something to think about going forward."

She pulled out a small box from her pocket. In it contained two items. "First, I have the Ring of Valor for winning the competition last night."

Scarlet handed him a tungsten ring with the Valor sigil engraved into it.

"Thanks," Jason happily accepted it, though he wasn't sure which finger to put it on.

"Use the pinky!" a spectator shouted.

Several laughs ensued. Jason slid the ring neatly onto his right pinky finger.

"And here is the Valor Badge," Scarlet presented.

Jason held the shining red badge, which was shaped like a moltres.

"Your next challenge will be the Gale Badge," Scarlet continued. "John is the Gym Leader there. He is an expert on flying pokemon, but more importantly, he is an expert on controlling the battle through team support. Expect him to switch around a lot."

Scarlet gazed around the handful of spectators. "How about a round of applause for Jason here?"

The Team Valor representatives all got up to cheer for Jason.

"Back to work for me," Scarlet began to depart.

"Thanks for the battle, Scarlet!" Jason expressed his appreciation, heading towards the exit of the field.

"You've earned it," Scarlet said before turning around to face Jason. "One more thing."

"Yeah?" Jason turned around.

"Tell Kristine to be here tomorrow morning at eleven sharp. Tell her to bring her A-game."

"Will do."

Jason walked through the doors back out to the atrium with his head held high. Kristine walked right up to him.

"Did you win?" She asked.

Jason grinned, showing her the Valor Badge.

"Grats!" Kristine cheered.

"Guess what?" Jason mentioned.

Kristine tilted her head. "What?"

"Scarlet wants to challenge you tomorrow. Same time."

"Guess I gotta go prepare, huh?"

"Yeah."

The two headed out of the arena. With Kristine being able to challenge Scarlet tomorrow, she wondered what the Gym Leader would have in store for her. Would Scarlet use a similar team against her as she did against Jason, or would she use a completely different trio? These uncertainties made Kristine nervous, but Jason knew one thing for sure: Kristine needed to rely on her heart, not her head, if she were to defeat Scarlet.


	38. Fight with Valor! Part II

Kristine browsed through the extranet on the computer back in her and Jason's room that night. Source after source, she wasn't getting the answers she wanted about Scarlet. Jason had told her the pokemon the Valor Gym Leader had used, Swellow, Hitmonlee, and Flareon, but there was little to no consistency in pokemon Scarlet had used consecutively. It appeared she had more than six pokemon, which made it more of a head-scratcher for Kristine.

"All I can see is she very much likes fighting and flying type pokemon," Kristine mentioned, Jason laying down on the bed behind her. "And has a couple fire types."

"Well, Pikachu and Espeon seem no-brainers," Jason sat up.

"Which leaves one more," Kristine turned around to face her brother. "Machoke is a maybe, Snorunt is weak to fire and fighting types, Fletchinder is a maybe with no actual weaknesses, and even Dratini is a maybe."

"Kristine, go with your gut," Jason advised. "It's gonna be a battle where you're gonna have to with your gut the entire time. Yes, type advantage will help, but Scarlet won't care. She lives for the disadvantages because she believes it makes her stronger for it."

"I just can't think of a right strategy against her," Kristine was ready to pout.

"That's the thing," Jason stretched his arms. "Don't think. Just do."

"Don't think…" Kristine muttered under her breath. She didn't quite understand what Jason meant. But as she thought about her brother's statement, she caught herself. The cogs in her brain worked tirelessly over just about every aspect in life. It would be a habit extremely difficult, if not impossible, to break.

"Sleep on it, sis," Jason laid back down. "The stress isn't going to make it better for you."

"Right," Kristine gave a sigh before getting up and proceeding to her bed. "Night, bro."

Jason went to turn off the lamp on the nightstand in between the two twin beds, rendering the room in total darkness thanks to the thick red window cover that blocked the outside neon lights from seeping in. Kristine was on her back, staring at the ceiling. She knew she had a successful start to her trainer career up to this point, winning three badges and a dual tournament, so why was this impending battle with Scarlet any different?

She figured it was perhaps a fear, or at least an uncertainty, of something she could not readily prepare for. But that shouldn't be a problem, she thought, as she usually thought of plans on the fly to get herself out of tough situations.

Which raised the previous question once more: _why is Scarlet any different?_ She couldn't figure out the answer, but gained some comfort in knowing that her pokemon were more than capable of handling anything that would come their way. Eventually, she was able to roll to her side and fall asleep, getting the much needed rest for her battle the next morning.

* * *

Kristine was the first to get up this time. With the room still in darkness, she pulled the cover to the right, briefly shielding her eyes from the piercing daylight.

She looked over at the clock on the nightstand to see it was just half past seven. She had plenty of time to get dressed, have a full breakfast, and brief her team before battling Scarlet.

"But Wobbuffet," Jason mumbled in his sleep, well enough for Kristine to clearly hear, as he turned away from the light. "Why are you blocking that buffet?"

 _Oh great, he's dreaming about food too?_ Kristine refrained from laughing out loud. _What's next, an eating contest with Snorlax?_

Kristine gathered fresh clothes before placing them neatly next to the bathroom sink and used the shower. After drying off and getting dressed, she tied her ponytail and put on her visor. She looked at herself in the mirror, seeing that confident girl she always admired.

"You got this," she reassured herself before exiting the bathroom.

She found that Jason was still sound asleep. She quietly left the room, going downstairs to the first floor, with the intention of returning the favor from yesterday morning when Jason practically brought back a feast.

Kristine proceeded to the breakfast table upon reaching the lobby. Several other trainers were present, and the news channel on the television screen nearby had no significant developments to report. The day seemed to go slow and easy so far.

She got a large plate and took a more modest approach than her brother, grabbing enough for two twelve year olds without risking the possibility of excessive food waste. After she got what she needed, which was four muffins, two bagels, an assortment of fruit, and two glasses of lemonade, she began to proceed back upstairs.

She spotted Liz walking down. As the fiery redhead noticed her, she began to laugh, noticing the tray Kristine was carrying.

"Bringing that up for the bro, huh?" Liz pointed out.

"Well, half of it," Kristine snickered. "You should've seen what Jason brought up yesterday."

"Did he beat Scarlet?"

"He did."

"Tell him I said grats."

"Will do. I battle Scarlet in a little bit myself."

"Yeah? Good luck. I've heard she's a tough one."

"Thanks," Kristine smiled.

The two began to go on their separate ways.

"Hey Liz?" Kristine turned around, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"'Sup?" Liz faced her.

"How'd you do in the competition the other day?"

"Well," Liz briefly rubbed her own back. "It came down to Charmeleon versus the world. I picked the wrong ring, apparently. I could've sworn there were ten pokemon in there at one point. Can't be mad though. Charmeleon went to work and took out about a dozen opponents before going down himself. That, I can be proud of."

"Just wait until Charmeleon evolves," Kristine smiled.

Liz chuckled. "I'm looking forward to it."

Kristine went on her way, heading back upstairs with a plate full of food. Jason was up, still in his pajamas, as he browsed through the channels on the television with the remote.

"Anything new?" Kristine asked.

"Not really," Jason turned the television off, gently tossing the remote on his bed.

"I got us food," Kristine smiled, presenting a plate full of confidential breakfast items.

"Thanks sis," Jason walked over.

Kristine was happy Jason didn't make a comment about bringing less food. Maybe he just didn't care as long as she brought back food.

"So, how do you feel about today's battle?" Jason asked, grabbing a muffin from the plate.

"I'll let you know once it's done," Kristine bluntly replied.

Jason could tell she was still nervous about her battle with Scarlet. He didn't respond, and instead scarfed down his muffin.

* * *

The twins soon walked outside, making the same trip to the Raley City Gym as the day before. Kristine had already chosen the three pokemon she would use for the battle, with those pokemon in full mental preparation mode. Both Jason and Kristine were silent for the most part; Kristine wanted to mentally prepare herself for the impending battle against Scarlet. Jason could sense the pressure his sister was feeling. She was confident going into every single battle up to this point, yet she was letting the uncertainties go to her head.

The two walked into the Raley City Gym. Just like yesterday, there was a man standing before the double doors leading to the field, permitting only Kristine to enter.

"Hey," Jason said to Kristine. "Keep your smile up. Keep your guard up. You got this."

"Thanks," Kristine gave a nod towards her brother before walking to the battle floor.

There, she saw Scarlet standing at the center of the field that was covered in red dirt, wearing the open white coat, black shirt and pants. At least a dozen spectators were scattered around the stands, likely using the battle as an excuse to take a break.

"Ten minutes early," Scarlet glanced at the time on the digital scoreboard that was above Kristine. "I do like the early risers."

Kristine approached Scarlet.

"Yeah, you look like a bright one," Scarlet observed. "Tell me, and speak honestly, how did you feel about the result from our little competition the other day?"

Kristine shrugged. "It is what it is."

"Hmm," Scarlet rubbed her chin. "I don't think that's what your gut is telling you. Your brain might be telling you to move on, but I believe there's something else here. There's a beast inside of you that has remained dormant this entire time, and you have kept it locked up. I think it came out very briefly. The moment you saw that your brother won and not you, that must have stung a little, right?"

Kristine remained silent, not sure how to respond and not sure what Scarlet was getting at.

"My goal is to unleash that beast within you," Scarlet continued. "You will not be getting the Valor Badge until that happens, trust me on that," she then walked to her side of the field.

The referee walked to his platform as it ascended, overlooking the field. This surprised Kristine at first, as Jason made no mention of it.

"Today's battle consists of the Raley City Gym Leader, Scarlet, and the challenger Kristine Kyar," the referee announced. "This is a standard three versus three battle, where the Gym Leader makes the first summon and the challenger makes the first move. Are you ready?"

"Ready!" both contestants shouted.

"Oh yeah," Scarlet mentioned. "Check your box, Kristine."

And it was another detail Jason forgot to mention, the slim but long extension of the trainer's box.

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared.

"Fight with Valor, Heracross!" Scarlet threw out her first pokeball.

"Hera!" Heracross greeted, anticipating his opponent.

 _Okay, totally not expected,_ Kristine thought. She had to mull through her options before deciding to stick with her current lineup.

"Here we go," she primed her first pokeball. "Let's go, Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu ran forward.

"Use Electro Ball on Heracross!" Kristine commanded.

"Pika-chu!" Pikachu conducted a front flip, using his tail to fire a powerful electric sphere at Heracross.

"Dodge it!" Scarlet responded.

"Heracross!" Heracross used his wings to leap away from Electro Ball.

The electric sphere fizzled seconds later.

"Fire off another one!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu ran to the right before conducting another flip, firing a curved Electro Ball.

"Run forward!" Scarlet yelled. "Close In with Arm Thrust!"

Heracross rushed at Pikachu, Electro Ball flying just behind him. With his left arm, Heracross unleashed a flurry of jabs at Pikachu, making contact after contact.

"Get him off with Spark!" Kristine yelled.

"Pika!" Pikachu, taking jabs from Arm Thrust, channeled electric energy before unleashing it on Heracross from such a short distance.

"Hera!" Heracross grunted from the direct hit.

"Night Slash!" Scarlet quickly called.

Heracross' arm glowed purple as he prepared to strike at Pikachu.

"Double Team! Now!" Kristine issued.

Pikachu projected more than a dozen false images of himself, all surrounding Heracross.

"Pin Missile all of them!" Scarlet yelled.

Heracross fired off Pin Missile from his horn, aiming and striking Pikachu's projections.

"Electro Ball!" Kristine shouted.

"Chu!" Pikachu emerged from behind Heracross among a trio of images that were not yet targeted. He hurled a third Electro Ball right at Heracross from roughly fifteen feet away.

"Brace!" Scarlet ordered.

Heracross turned around and crossed his arms before his chest in an effort to withstand the attack. Electro Ball made a direct impact, causing an explosion that covered Heracross. The ensuing smoke soon dissipated. Heracross looked a little weary but stood strong nonetheless.

"Hop in and use Arm Thrust one more time!" Scarlet commanded.

"Hera!" Heracross used his wings to lunge at Pikachu.

"Double Team!" Kristine responded.

Pikachu projected more images around Heracross. Heracross remained focused, knocking out Pikachu's projections one by one.

"Use Spark!" Kristine followed up.

Pikachu emerged from Heracross' left flank, using his tail to propel forward for the shocking attack.

"Night Slash!" Scarlet yelled.

Heracross quickly turned to Pikachu, swiping gracefully with a purple glow in his claws. His Night Slash knocked Pikachu straight to the ground.

"Pikachu!" Kristine yelled in concern.

Pikachu was slow to get up, having suffered several hits from Arm Thrust and a direct attack from Night Slash.

"Do not relent!" Scarlet yelled. "Use Arm Thrust to finish him off!"

"Double Team! You can do it!" Kristine tried to encourage Pikachu.

"Pika…" Pikachu got up, and projected more copies of himself. However, there were fewer than before, numbering at eight as opposed to more than a dozen.

"Enough of these games!" Scarlet wanted to press the attack. "Use Aerial Ace and snuff him out!"

"Hera!" Heracross' claws glowed white, conducting a 360 degree sweep of all projections. Pikachu's images vanished, leaving himself exposed and suffering another hit from Heracross.

"Pikachu! Spark!" Kristine yelled, desperate to change the tide of this confrontation.

"Pika…" Pikachu had trouble mustering electric energy in a quick manner.

"Arm Thrust!" Scarlet yelled.

Heracross lunged at Pikachu, landing several quick jabs. Pikachu tumbled backwards twice, unable to continue any further.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" The referee declared. "Heracross wins!"

Suddenly, Heracross became enveloped by electric currents, causing him to be paralyzed thanks to Pikachu's ability, Static.

"About time it went off," Scarlet said. "We can get Guts going for you, Heracross."

"Hera!" Heracross anticipated his second opponent, despite being weary and paralyzed.

"Return, Pikachu," Kristine recalled her pokemon. "You did good. We got this."

"You were doing well for a minute there," Scarlet remarked. "Defense won't win you the day. Not in my gym."

Kristine didn't respond to that statement. She readied her second pokeball. "Showtime, Espeon!"

"Espeon!" Espeon greeted, sitting gracefully.

"The advantage belongs to you, Kristine," Scarlet mentioned. "You have a fresh special attacker against a worn out and paralyzed physical attacker. Let's see how well you can utilize your edge."

"Calm Mind, Espeon," Kristine issued.

Espeon's eyes glowed white, increasing her special attack and defense, though Kristine suspected the special defense wouldn't be useful in this battle.

"Pin Missile! Get her moving!" Scarlet commanded.

"Heracross!" Heracross fired off a volley of pins towards Espeon.

"Use Reflect! Now!" Kristine responded.

Espeon projected a reflective barrier that would stop the initial wave of pins. But the super effective attack kept coming, and combined with Heracross' bug typing and Guts being active, Reflect could just be futile against an onslaught of pins.

"Swift!" Kristine ordered. "Stop the pins!"

"Espeon!" Espeon fired a swift of stars, exploding on impact against Heracross' Pin Missile.

"Night Slash! Let's Go!" Scarlet made her next move.

While Kristine focused on the defensive even more, Heracross moved to Espeon's left flank, enabling him to strike on command from a close range.

"Shift left and Psybeam!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon turned to Heracross. As he was getting ready to strike, his paralysis kicked in, forcing him still and completely open to Espeon. Espeon fired a powerful, colorful beam at Heracross, sending Heracross flying across the floor. He fell to the ground, unable to continue.

"Heracross is unable to continue! Espeon wins!" the referee announced.

"Good job, Espeon!" Kristine praised.

Scarlet recalled her pokemon. "You did well, Heracross."

She then pulled out her second pokeball. "Let's go, Rapidash!"

Rapidash neighed, greeting Kristine and Espeon.

 _Now Rapidash?_ Kristine could see the uncertainties unfold first hand. She wanted to believe the last pokemon would be Swellow, but she wasn't sure what to expect anymore. She decided to keep Espeon in play.

"Use Agility! Get your blood rolling!" Scarlet yelled before running to the extension of her box.

Rapidash began galloping and soon sprinted across the field around Espeon.

"Calm Mind one more time!" Kristine figured if Scarlet called for a non offensive move, so would she.

Espeon's eyes glowed bright white once more.

"Here we go! Use Swift!" Kristine followed up.

"Espeon!" Espeon fired the star shaped rays at Rapidash.

"Use Fire Spin and stop Swift!" Scarlet yelled.

Rapidash unleashed flames that dissipated Swift. She continued to stream those flames in efforts to trap Espeon within them.

"Get out of There, Espeon!" Kristine commanded.

"Espeon!" Espeon jumped out of the way just as the fiery tornado took shape.

"Use Double Kick to knock her back in!" Scarlet followed up.

Rapidash used her unparalleled speed to run by Espeon, using her hind legs to kick her opponent into Fire Spin.

"Atta girl!" Scarlet commended.

"Espeon!" Kristine yelled. "We need to break out! Quick, use Swift!"

"Esp…" Espeon regained her focus, suffering from Fire Spin.

"Keep up Fire Spin!" Scarlet ordered.

Rapidash neighed in compliance, firing a continuous stream of flames to keep Espeon contained.

Suddenly, stars shot out of the fiery tornado, with each one that hit Rapidash exploding upon impact. Rapidash lowered her head, embracing the attack.

"Use Psybeam!" Kristine continued her counter attack.

Rapidash looked up only to see the colorful beam coming right at her, striking her head on. She tumbled over, landing on her side just several feet shy of Scarlet, who remained unfazed.

"You got this, girl!" Scarlet cheered her pokemon on.

Rapidash was slow to get up after taking the direct hit from a greatly enhanced Psybeam. Meanwhile, this gave Espeon time to escape Fire Spin.

"Espeon!" Espeon leapt forward.

"Fire another Psybeam!" Kristine kept at it.

"Fire Spin with everything you got!" Scarlet was quick to react.

Rapidash fired off flames against another powerful Psybeam. Espeon's attack was overwhelming, however, and Scarlet needed to respond quickly.

"Quick! Dodge right and use Stomp!" Scarlet yelled.

Rapidash jumped to her right, and to Kristine's horror, that left Scarlet in clear path of Espeon's Psybeam.

Scarlet was quick to run and avoid the hit, but Kristine didn't see that. Psybeam struck the wall behind Scarlet, causing an explosion.

"No! Scarlet!" Kristine yelled in despair, believing she harmed the Gym Leader.

The smoke cleared. Just then, Rapidash closed in on Espeon, using her front hooves to knock her away.

"What the," Kristine seemed surprised the battle was still going, the referee making no effort to stop it.

Scarlet smirked, emerging unharmed. "Relax, kid."

Kristine noticed that the wall behind Scarlet remained intact. In fact, it looked like it didn't even get hit in the first place.

"I'm a professional," Scarlet continued, walking back to her side of the field. "Besides, if I got hit, the worst that would've happened was I got knocked down on my butt and I got dazed for a minute. No big deal. And the wall? Reinforced steel. Gyms are built to take hits, girl."

"Right," Kristine breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rapidash, Fire Spin one more time! Let's go!" Scarlet wanted to regain control of the match.

Rapidash fired another stream of flames at Espeon, this time enveloping her once more.

"Esp!" Espeon yelped, the flames taking a huge toll on her.

"Use Swift! Stop her!" Kristine commanded, her forehead and arms sweating from the flames coming from Rapidash.

Star shaped rays pierced through the fiery wall, striking Rapidash head on.

"Brace it! Move Forward! Keep up Fire Spin!" Scarlet wanted to capitalize on her attack, and had the confidence that Rapidash was able to take another hit or two.

"Keep using Swift! Defend yourself!" Kristine yelled.

Espeon fired off an unrelenting volley of stars. Star after star struck Rapidash as the fire horse began losing steam. The last star that exploded on her knocked her on her side. She was unable to continue any further.

The flames soon cleared. Kristine was concerned that Espeon was knocked out as well, because she stopped using Swift. Her concerns were confirmed; Espeon was also down and out.

"Both Espeon and Rapidash are unable to continue!" the referee declared.

"Return, Espeon," Kristine recalled her pokemon. "You did great out there."

"You as well, Rapidash," Scarlet recalled her.

The two contestants primed their final pokeballs.

"You better get ready, Kristine!" Scarlet tossed her pokeball. "Let's finish this, Braviary!"

"Bra!" the valiant pokemon cawed.

 _Oh no, a flying type,_ Kristine was nervous about this encounter as she primed her last pokeball. Choosing Machoke was a risk that she knew she took, but it wasn't a match up she expected to use. Given Heracross' fighting and bug typing, she would have gone with Fletchinder instead and used Pikachu for this moment. If only she knew.

Yet there was a reason why Machoke was chosen, other than his cover move, Thunder Punch. Kristine believed he would be able to play an important role in today's battle, and with it on the line, Kristine needed him more than ever. She knew she couldn't afford to think about what if's, or could haves, would haves, and should haves. What she did or didn't do was in the past, and there was still a battle to fight.

"All right Machoke! Let's go!" she threw out her last pokeball.

"Machoke!" Machoke assumed his fighting stance, preparing himself against Braviary.

"One direct attack from Brave Bird and it could mean the end," Scarlet warned. "I will come at you, Kristine. And I will keep coming at you until you come out of your shell and defeat me! Or you'll be finding yourself stuck in Raley City until you figure it out."

Kristine wondered why Scarlet had it out for her. She started to take it personally.

"Machoke! Get ready! Run towards Braviary!" she called.

"Machoke!" Machoke charged at Braviary.

"Hone Claws!" Scarlet commanded.

"Braviary!" Braviary's claws began to sharpen.

"Get in there and use Thunder Punch!" Kristine yelled.

"Choke!" Machoke leapt into the air, attempting to deliver a power Thunder Punch upon Braviary.

"Grab him and use Crush Claw!" Scarlet responded.

"Bra!" Braviary flapped his wings to hover off the ground, using his talons to grab Machoke's shoulders.

"Machoke!" Machoke wailed around.

"Now drive him to the ground!" Scarlet followed up.

Braviary attempted to finish his move with the intention of slamming Machoke to the ground through the force of his claws.

"Use Brick Break and get yourself out of there!" Kristine quickly issued.

"Ma!" Machoke used his right hand to strike at Braviary's torso, delivering a direct hit.

"Bra!" Braviary yelped, loosening his grip on Machoke.

"Now use Vital Throw!" Kristine yelled.

"Machoke!" Machoke managed to grab both of Braviary's talons. Machoke quickly touched ground with his feet, preparing to use his upper body strength to slam Braviary to the ground.

"Use Heat Wave! Now!" Scarlet quickly yelled.

"Bra!" Braviary's body heated up, unleashing a powerful fiery wave that knocked Machoke back, sending him tumbling several times over to the other side of the field.

"Machoke!" Kristine became concerned for her pokemon.

"Machoke…" Machoke was slow to get up, suffering from such a powerful attack.

 _I don't think Machoke could take another hit like that,_ Kristine thought. _Man, Braviary can hit real hard._

"Gotta love Sheer Force!" Scarlet explained. "Braviary can hit harder, but moves like Heat Wave can't cause status effects. Worth the price, I think!"

She turned to Braviary. "Let's end this with Brave Bird!"

"Braviary!" Braviary took to the air, circling back to get a good angle on Machoke.

 _We can't dodge this,_ Kristine knew it. _This can't be the end._

"Machoke!" Kristine had an idea. "Use Thunder Punch in the air. Keep using it to make a shield, and use both your fists to withstand the attack!"

"Choke!" Machoke began using electric energy to rapidly punch all around him.

Whatever crazy idea Kristine thought of seemed to be working in theory. Electric energy channeled from Machoke's fists. He was essentially creating a barrier to shield himself from a one-hit attack.

"Creative to say the least," Scarlet admired. "Braviary! Show the might and pride of Team Valor! Let's do this!"

"Braviary!" Braviary closed in on Machoke, picking up speed as he closed his wings and his body burst into flames.

"Machoke! Put your fists forward and hold him with every ounce of energy you have!" Kristine yelled.

"Machoke!" Machoke put his glowing fists forward, emanating electric energy from them.

Braviary honed in on Machoke, striking him with such force that any fully healthy fighting type pokemon would be knocked out in a single hit. Machoke had already taken a powerful hit from Heat Wave. Granted, Braviary was a physical attacker through and through, and Heat Wave could have been worse even with Sheer Force. Kristine wondered if this wasn't enough to hold the attack, if she had failed. The thoughts began to flood her mind once more.

"Choke!" Machoke slid back, likely from the kinetic force Braviary delivered. His electric shield held, Braviary struggling to break through to deliver the victory for Scarlet.

"Bra…" Braviary began to feel the electric currents zapping him.

"Break away and come in for another attack!" Scarlet issued. _What a smart kid._

Braviary managed to fly away, his forceful exit knocking Machoke off balance. He tumbled over and over all the way to Kristine, colliding with her.

"Agh!" Kristine got body slammed to the ground, purely unintentionally, by Machoke. He was on top of her, rolling over and struggling immensely to get up.

The referee wanted to stop the battle. He was even tempted to declare Braviary the winner.

Scarlet anticipated this, however, and faced him. "Don't you dare call it."

"How about a time out?" the referee asked.

"No," Scarlet spoke firmly.

Braviary flew to the far side of the field, preparing for another run.

Kristine was slightly dazed from the impact. She was aware enough that she didn't lose just yet. She lost her visor somewhere. Her hair was coated with red dirt, as were her clothes.

It was that moment she knew she couldn't lose. She wasn't going to lose, and Machoke wasn't going to let that happen. Her companion got up, and walked to her knowing very well Braviary was going to attack imminently. He offered his hand to help her up.

Kristine stood up and wiped the dirt off her face. _Don't think, just do,_ echoed Jason's words through her mind. She figured it out. And all it took was Machoke nearly knocking her out cold.

"No," she resisted imminent defeat. "We will not lose!"

She faced Scarlet with sheer determination. Scarlet knew this was it. This was when Kristine unleashed the beast within.

Braviary swooped down for a second Brave Bird run.

"Go!" Kristine urged Machoke to run. "Just Run forward! Keep running!"

"Machoke!" Machoke ran towards Braviary.

For the first time in the battle, Kristine made use of the extension to her trainer's box. She ran down, parallel to Machoke.

Scarlet took off her coat, and ran down her extension of the box as well.

"Hit him with all you got!" Scarlet yelled.

Braviary was seconds away from striking Machoke.

"Slide and use Thunder Punch!" Kristine commanded.

Machoke slid with his legs forward, making himself as small a target as he possibly could. He charged electricity with his fist, taking a jab at Braviary above. Brave Bird had barely missed the mark, but Machoke was able to land a clean hit from Thunder Punch. Braviary tumbled to the ground at high velocity.

"Regain your balance!" Scarlet shouted.

Braviary managed to do just that, recovering from Machoke's attack and flying high in the air once more.

"Braviary, land on Machoke and use Crush Claw!" Scarlet ordered.

"Bra!" Braviary swooped down on Machoke once more, sharp claws at the ready.

"Machoke, grab onto Braviary's talons and use Vital Throw!" Kristine responded.

As Braviary tried to deliver another devastating blow, Machoke grabbed his talons. It became a showcase of strength, with both pokemon determined to pin one another to the ground. The struggle went on for a moment. At first, Braviary seemed to be gaining the edge, keeping Machoke slightly bent backwards.

"You got this, Machoke!" Kristine encouraged

him. "You can win this! We will win this!"

"Machoke!" Machoke used every ounce of strength he could muster to regain his footing and take control of Braviary.

"Quick! Use Heat Wave!" Scarlet issued before it was too late.

"Brick Break!" Kristine quickly called.

"Machoke!" Machoke made a lightning fast chop at Braviary's chest, with his left arm still holding onto a talon, dealing considerable damage and causing Braviary to fall and lose his strength. The sudden attack caught him off guard. Machoke then finished Vital Throw by using his left arm to slam Braviary to the ground.

"Braviary…" Braviary struggled to get back up.

"Now is our chance!" Kristine wanted to capitalize on the moment. "Thunder Punch with everything you have!"

"Machoke!" Machoke leapt towards Braviary, extending his left arm to guard against any sudden attack and priming his right arm to strike. Braviary did not resist, and took the full brunt of the super effective attack as Machoke descended on top of him.

"Braaaaaa!" Braviary had electric currents ripple throughout his body. And to Kristine's relief, he took too much damage. He was unable to continue.

Even the referee was astounded by the turn of events. "Wow. Braviary is unable to battle! Machoke wins, which means Kristine Kyar is the winner!"

The handful of people spectating the game stood up to give Kristine a round of applause, shocked by the turn of events.

"We won…" Kristine muttered.

"Machoke!" Machoke pounded his chest triumphantly. He then fell on one knee.

"Machoke!" Kristine ran over to him, getting on her knees. "Are you okay?"

"Choke!" Machoke nodded. "Machoke!"

Kristine pulled out his pokeball, and began to recall him. "You have no idea how awesome you were today. Get some rest."

Kristine got up, noticing that Scarlet had already recalled Braviary.

"The very end, that's what I wanted to see," Scarlet mentioned, approaching Kristine.

"That was intense," Kristine laughed.

"Yes it was," Scarlet agreed. "Your body language, your emotions, your way of thinking changed. You weren't thinking defensively anymore, but of ways to counter me and continue your attack. You became unrelenting. You no longer cared of type advantages. You wanted to win."

"And I wanted to win that very badly," Kristine smirked.

"What you displayed towards the end, never forget that," Scarlet continued. "Never forget the valor and honor you have displayed, fighting like it's your last battle without fear. That forges the heart of a champion. There's knowing how to battle and how to win. Many trainers know how to battle. Few know how to win. Master that art, because you have a good head on your shoulders to begin with. Be unrelenting. Be hungry. Win those competitions. And let no one, not even your brother, get in the way of victory anymore."

"I see why you were so hard on me," Kristine replied.

"I saw the potential, just like I saw it in Jason. Only you needed more help in bringing it out. No shame in it. You're the diplomatic, think-it-through type, and trust me, that will take you very far in life. Your brother wears his heart on his sleeve. It's time you do the same."

"I wanted to win the Rings of Valor so badly," Kristine groaned.

Scarlet laughed. "Get him in the next competition you two come across. Nothing like some good old fashioned sibling rivalry."

She pulled out a box from her pocket and opened it, presenting the Valor Badge. "Here you go. You've earned this one."

Kristine happily took the badge. The first three were nothing short of major accomplishments, but this felt different. She felt as if she and her Pokémon fought tooth and nail for this one, and it simply came down to how badly she wanted this.

"You look a little banged up," Scarlet observed Kristine. "I'll have one of my guys get you a couple water bottles on the way out. Head back to the pokemon center, take a shower, throw those clothes in the wash, and get some rest. You've earned it."

"Thank you, Scarlet," Kristine sniffled, her eyes starting to water from the joy of accomplishment. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Scarlet smiled. "It's okay to show emotion. You should express it. Let that energy out. You've got eight badges to go. Show those knuckleheads what you're made of!"

"Speaking of knuckleheads," Kristine snickered, facing the exit of the field.

"Time to show him," Scarlet began to proceed towards that exit.

"Right," Kristine took two steps forward, but stumbled. Perhaps the hit from Machoke finally sunk in, or she was just completely fatigued.

Scarlet took notice, and approached Kristine, placing her right arm over her shoulder. "Come on."

As Scarlet helped Kristine to the exit, the handful of spectators gave one more round of applause, commending Kristine's efforts, before dispersing. The referee touched solid ground after lowering his platform. Noticing Kristine's visor nearby, he picked it up. Scarlet signaled for him to toss it. He threw it like a frisbee with precision as Scarlet caught it with one hand without making much effort.

Scarlet and Kristine walked through the exit. As the doors opened, a concerned knucklehead in particular stood at the center of the atrium.

"Kristine?" Jason approached the two, noticing his sister was covered in red dirt, likely soaked in sweat, and just look exhausted. "What happened out there?"

Kristine showed off the Valor Badge to Jason with a gleaming smile. "That's what happened."

Scarlet took Kristine's arm off her shoulders. Kristine then ran over to give Jason one big hug.

"I get it now," she told him, in tears. "The just winning thing. That's what we had to do. You should have seen my pokemon out there."

"You're an amazing trainer, Kristine," Jason hugged his sister back.

"And I'm even stronger now," Kristine stated.

That comment sent chills down Jason's spine. He believed Kristine was a formidable trainer to begin with. Scarlet managed to unleash her potential, and combined with commandeering a very good pokemon team, she could be unstoppable.

Scarlet approached the two, handing Jason Kristine's visor. A Team Valor representative also approached them and handed Jason two bottles of water.

Scarlet gave a smirk and looked at Jason in the eyes. "You're welcome," she began to depart back into the field.

Jason knew what that meant. Kristine had the strategic mind, and now the winning spirit. And he knew she was not going to live this down. She was going to truly be a force to be reckoned with, and while Jason was lucky to have her as a traveling companion, he knew he had to be on alert in the future, because in the next competition, she's coming for him.

* * *

 **Four down, eight to go! Hope you all enjoyed that battle. A special shout out to those who follow my fanfic. Thanks for reading, I do truly appreciate you taking the time to read this giant fanfic. More big things to come!**


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